As he deferred his return to his home city of Mumbai, controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on Monday claimed that he had never supported any terrorist organisation and expressed “shock” over the “media trial” linking him to the recent terror attack in Dhaka.
Naik, who is in Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia and was to return to Mumbai on Monday afternoon, postponed his return.
In a statement released to the media, Naik said: “According to me, the media is the most important weapon in the world. It can convert a hero into villain or even a villain into a hero… I am shocked at the media trial on me regarding the recent terrorist attack that took place in Dhaka on July 1, 2016”.
“Most of the clips shown on the television of myself are either out of context, half statements or doctored. So are my statements in the print media,” Naik stated.
“So far not a single official Indian Government agency has contacted me for any clarification regarding this issue. It would be my pleasure to cooperate with any official Indian Government investigation agency for any information they might require from me,” Naik said.
Earlier on Monday morning, there was intense speculation in Mumbai that Naik would return to Mumbai and address a press conference along with prominent citizens at a five-star hotel on Tuesday. However, Naik himself clarified that he had postponed his return to Mumbai and was going ahead his scheduled lecture tour in United Arab Emirates and Africa.
Naik told a television channel that he was not returning to Mumbai as of now and would address the Press conference through skype from Madina in Saudi Arabia.
Naik, who is the founder of Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and Peace TV, is under the scanner of Mumbai Police. While the special branch officials of the Mumbai police are examining Naik’s speeches, Maharashtra’s Anti Terrorism Squad investigating his activities, including source of funding for his organisation. This follows an inquiry ordered into all his activities by Maharashtra chief minister on July 7.
This is not for the first that Naik has come under the scanner of the investigating agencies. He had been investigated earlier, following series of blasts in 2002-03. His name had cropped up once again a few years ago for inflammatory speeches and the State Intelligence Department (SID) has conducted a discreet inquiry on him.
In the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case, one person was arrested who in the past had worked in the IRF library. There are also reports that some youths of Mumbai who had joined the ISIS has also been inspired by the radical views of Naik.
In his statement, Naik blamed the media for conducting a trial on him, in the wake of news reports that two of the seven terrorists who hacked to death 22 people at a Dhaka cafe recently were “inspired” by him:
“I would have loved to give interviews, but I fear that most of them will not publish it unedited or without twisting it,” Naik said.