2 arrested for links with ISIS in Hyderabad

The National Investigation Agency on Thursday filed a supplementary chargesheet against Mohammad Abdullah Basith and Mohammad Abdul Qhadeer, arrested in August 2018 from Hyderabad for alleged links to members of the Abu Dhabi ISIS module. NIA had booked the case in 2016 in which three persons from India, living in Abu Dhabi, formed a gang owing their membership to ISIS, a banned terrorist organisation.

During the investigation, the NIA found that Basith, a resident of Chandrayangutta, received money from an ISIS member using which he made plans to fly to Syria via Turkey.

Basith had also made two attempts to flee India, once from Kolkata and another time from Nagpur. His plans were foiled by the state’s counter-intelligence wing and he was brought back to the city.

A case was also registered against Basith and two others, Maaz Hasan Farooqi and Omar Farooq Hussaini, after their failed attempt to go to Srinagar and meet Kashmiri separatist leader Asiya Andrabi. Basith, who was counselled several times and given bail, did not change his attitude and continued with his illegal activities.

“Basith was continuously making efforts to propagate the ideology of ISIS in India for which he entered into a conspiracy with ISIS handlers and his associates,” NIA said on Thursday. “He and his associates were involved in identifying, motivating, radicalising gullible Muslim youths to join hands with him.”

It also said that “Abdul Qhadeer, a resident of Chandrayangutta, who was arrested with Basith in August in possession of explosives, came under the influence of Basith because of their common intention to propagate ISIS’ ideology in India for which he actively started meeting other gang members. The recovery of explosives from his possession establishes his intention to fabricate an IED.”

Basith and Qhadeer are currently in judicial custody in Delhi. In 2016, three persons – Adnan Hussain, Mohammad Farhan and Sheikh Azhar Al Islam – were deported from the UAE for forming a new module and extending their support to ISIS and inspiring Indians to join them.