NIA arrests two for ISIS links

Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested, Ahamed Abdul Cader, 40, a resident of Ramanathpuram, Tamil Nadu, and Irfan Nasir, 33, of Frazer town, Bengaluru in connection with Bengaluru-based ISIS module case. Cader is a business analyst in a bank in Chennai and Nasir is a rice merchant in Bengaluru.

The NIA stated that the case was registered suo moto on September 19 after certain incriminating facts emerged about a Bengaluru-based ISIS module during the investigation of an Islamic State Khorasan Province case in which Dr. Abdur Rahman, who was known as Dr Brave, was arrested.

During his interrogation, names of his associates surfaced who had travelled to Syria in 2013-2014 to join ISIS. 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 (HuT), 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.

"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 Abdur Rahman and other Muslim youth of Bengaluru to Syria to join ISIS. Two of such youths got killed in Syria," the NIA said.

"During searches, incriminating material and electronic devices have been seized. Both the accused were produced before Special NIA Court, Bengaluru and 10 days of NIA custody has been granted for interrogation," the investigating agency stated.

NIA is hopeful that further investigation in the case will unearth a larger conspiracy.