The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a business analyst with a bank in Chennai and a rich merchant in connection with the Bengaluru ISIS module case.On Wednesday, the NIA arrested business analyst Ahamed Abdul Cader, 40, of Ramanathpuram, Tamil Nadu and the merchant Irfan Nasir, 33, of Frazer Town in Bengaluru.
The case was registered suo-moto by NIA on September 19, 2020 after certain incriminating facts emerged about a Bengaluru-based ISIS module during the investigation of Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) case.One Dr Abdur Rahman alias Dr Brave of Bengaluru was arrested in the ISKP case. During his examination, names of his associates surfaced who had travelled to Syria in 2013-2014 to join ISIS, the NIA said in a statement here on Thursday.
“Further investigation resulted in busting of a module wherein it was revealed that accused Cader, Nasir and their associates were members of Hizb-ut-Tehrir, and they had formed a group called ‘Quran Circle’ which radicalized gullible Muslim youth in Bengaluru and funded their visit to conflict zone in Syria to aid and assist the ISIS terrorists,” it said.
“Based on this, the NIA registered RC-33/2020/NIA/DLI dated September 19, 2020 under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 125 (waging war against any Asiatic Power in alliance with the Government of India) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the accused persons for having affiliation with the banned terrorist organization ISIS/ISIL/Daesh and for entering into a conspiracy to radicalize and motivate Muslim youth of Bengaluru to join ISIS, and for raising funds to facilitate their travel to Syria,” it further said.Cader, Nasir and their associates played a “very significant” role in radicalization of the members of the Group and arranged funds through donations and own sources for visit of accused Abdur Rahman (accused in ISKP case) and other Muslim youth of Bengaluru to Syria to join ISIS. Two of such youth got killed in Syria, the agency claimed.
Searches were conducted at the premises of Cader and Nasir in Gurappana Palya and Frazer Town in Bengaluru on Wednesday. During the searches, incriminating materials and electronic devices have been seized, it said.Both the accused were produced before Special NIA Court, Bengaluru and 10 days’ NIA Custody has been granted for interrogation. Further investigation in the case is continuing to unearth the larger conspiracy, it added.