ED raids 8 places in Bengaluru in ISIS recruitment case

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday carried out searches at eight places across Bengaluru in an ISIS recruitment case, officials said.

The searches are still under way since early morning and ED’s Bengaluru zonal has covered the premises linked to suspects in the operation based on its Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) recorded on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) related to ISIS recruitment involving Iqra Welfare Trust, Guidance for Mankind and other individuals based out in Bengaluru.

The NIA FIR was recorded for violations of section 17 (raising of funds for terror), 18 (preparatory acts for terrorism) and 18B (recruitment of persons for terror) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Four accused were arrested, and subsequently the NIA filed a chargesheet arraying Irfan Nasir, Ahamed Abdul Cader, Mohd Tauqir Mahmood, Zuhab Hameed Shakeel Manna and Mohd Shihab as accused.

The chargesheet revealed that the accused, all affiliated with the banned terrorist organisation ISIS/ISIL/Daesh, entered into a criminal conspiracy to radicalise and motivate impressionable Muslim youths of Bengaluru to join ISIS.

“It is revealed that they identified, radicalised, and recruited youths through a muslim ‘personality development’ workshop called ‘Iqra Camp’ and a weekly study circle called ‘Quran Circle’ that grew out of it; raised and channelled funds; and facilitated the illegal travel of recruits to Syria via Turkey to join ISIS and fight against the Government of Syria – acts mentioned in the charge sheet as ‘waging war against Syria, an Asiatic Power in alliance with the Government of India’,” said the officials.

It is further alleged that the group sought to exploit sentiments around the Anti-CAA/NRC protests to incite Muslims against non-Muslims and to spread ISIS ideology through secure social-media platforms. Officials further said the accused raised funding from individuals, trusts, and from their savings to facilitate the illegal travel of Muslim youths to fight for ISIS. (ANI)