NIA sentenced ISIS recruiter to 7 years in prison

Kochi (Kerala) : National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here on Saturday sentenced Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) recruiter Yasmeen Mohammed Zahid to seven years in prison in ISIS Kasaragod module case.

The case relates to the activities of Kasaragod district's 14 people, who along with their families had exited India between May and July 2016 and joined the ISIS.

Zahid, a native of Sitamarhi district, Bihar, has been convicted under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) read with 125 (waging war against country)of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides sections 38, 39 and 40 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The court has awarded punishment of seven years of Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) with a fine of Rs. 25,000 to her.

An investigation by NIA revealed that the principal accused Abdul Rashid Abdulla had recruited the other accused persons in this case including Yasmeen Mohammed Zahid by conducting classes at Kasaragod and other places since Ramadan 2015, in support of the terrorist organisation ISIS/ Daesh and its ideology of violent jihad.

He had motivated his co-conspirators including Yasmeen Mohammed Zahid to join the terrorist organisation waging war against Asiatic powers at peace with the Government of India.

Zahid was intercepted at New Delhi International Airport on July 30, 2016, while she was exiting India for Kabul with the intention of joining her husband and co-conspirator Abdul Rashid in ISIS/ Daesh-controlled territory in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, which the accused persons consider as part of the Khorasan Wilayat of the Islamic State.

Absconder Abdulla had raised funds for the terrorist organization and transferred such funds, while being in Afghanistan, to Zahid, who had utilized it for her activities intended at supporting the terrorist organization. Zahid had got acquainted with Abdulla, while working in Peace International School at Kottakkal in Malappuram district, Kerala and they had later got married secretly.

On January 27, 2017, NIA filed a charge-sheet against accused Abdulla and Zahid under sections 120B read with 125 of IPC besides sections 38, 39 and 40 of UAPA.

The trial of the case commenced on November 9, 2017, and the prosecution had examined 52 witnesses through whom 115 documents and 29 material objects were exhibited, while the defence had examined one witness.