INDIA. Mumbai. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Monday arrested three persons as it conducted simultaneous searches at 11 locations in Kerala, Karnataka, and Delhi in connection with terror activities of a group propagating the violent ideology of the ISIS terror group.
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ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), also known as ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), is a Sunni jihadist group with a particularly violent ideology that calls itself a caliphate and claims religious authority over all Muslims. The group implements Sharia Law, rooted in eighth-century Islam, to establish a society that mirrors the region’s ancient past.
An NIA spokesperson said the searches were carried out by the premier anti-terror probe agency with local police units at 11 locations — eight in Kerala’s Kannur, Mallapuram, Kollam, and Kasargod districts, two in Bengaluru and one in Delhi.
The case pertains to the terrorist activities of a group led by one Mohammed Ameen @ Abu Yahya, a resident of Kerala. Three people — Ameen and his associated Mushab Anuvar and Dr. Rahees Rashid — were arrested after preliminary examination, the NIA official said.
The group has been running various ISIS propaganda channels on different social media platforms such as Telegram, Hoop, and Instagram for propagating the violent Jihadi ideology of ISIS, and radicalizing and recruiting new members to the module.
The NIA had registered a case (RC 05/2021/NIA/DLI) against seven known and other unnamed persons under sections 120B, 121 & 121A of Indian Penal Code and sections 17, 18, 18B, 20, 38 & 40 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2019 on March 05, 2021.
The NIA official said the group of radicalized individuals, under the leadership of Ameen and having allegiance to the proscribed terrorist organization ISIS, had identified certain people in Kerala and Karnataka for targeted killing. They had also planned to undertake Hijrat (religious migration) to J&K for engaging in terrorist acts. Further, Mohammed Ameen had traveled to J&K immediately after his return to India from Bahrain in March 2020 and had been camping in Delhi for the last two months for establishing a connection with J&K-based operatives having allegiance to ISIS.
The searches were conducted at the premises of accused Mohammed Ameen and his associates who were members of the various groups/channels on encrypted chat platforms. During the searches, several digital devices including Laptops, Mobiles, Hard Disk Drives, Pen Drives, multiple SIM cards of different service providers, and incriminating documents have been seized. Seized exhibits are being scrutinized and will be sent for forensic examination. Searches today were preceded by extensive verification jointly by NIA, Special Cell, Delhi Police, and ATS, Kerala Police.
