Kerala-based ISIS group planned to loot churches & temples for funds

KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) which busted a Kerala-based ISIS-affiliated group was planning dacoity at churches and temples in Thrissur and Palakkad. The revelation came after NIA questioned Sayeed Nabeel Ahmmed, 34, of Padoor, Thrissur, who was arrested from TMP Nagar, Padi, Chennai last week.

The NIA Court in Kochi sent Nabeel to NIA custody till Saturday and he is being interrogated by the agency. Earlier, NIA had arrested Thrissur native Ashif and Shiyas T S. According to NIA sources, it was Nabeel who formed the group while working in Qatar. Later, he returned to India to further the activities of ISIS. As part of it, a group named Pet Lovers was started in the Telegram messaging app. 

The NIA has recovered chats from other encrypted messaging apps revealing the plans of the group. According to NIA officials, the group was planning to loot temples and churches in Thrissur and Palakkad for fundraising.

Apart from that, there were also discussions in the Telegram group about eliminating a Christian priest. The accused persons were planning to recruit more persons for ISIS activities. NIA suspects that Nabeel was in touch with ISIS leaders in Syria and Afghanistan. An investigation is being conducted in this regard.

In the custody application filed before the NIA Court, the national agency stated that Nabeel has to be interrogated urgently. “It is most probable that the plans and conspiracy hatched by the accused will be hidden from public view and will be executed as planned by them. In order to prevent a mishap, it is most necessary that the accused be given in police custody,” stated the custody application.

Operations through ‘Telegram’ application
As part of furthering the activities of ISIS in the state, a group named Pet Lovers was started in the Telegram messaging app. NIA has recovered chats revealing the plans of the group

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