Banned outfits working under bogus names in Kerala: NIA

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 11: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has received clues that banned Islamic outfits like SIMI were carrying out extremist activities under bogus names in several parts of Kerala.

Reports of such activities were mainly from northern districts of Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram, it was stated at the third regional co-ordination meeting of the NIA South Zone held yesterday at the police headquarters here, police sources said.

There was also possibility of Maoist infiltration into the state as the extremists believed that Kerala would be a safe haven for them, the meeting observed and wanted the state to be cautious against such threats.

NIA Additional Director General NR Wasan, who attended the meeting, said the agency would share data on terrorists and terrorism with all Anti-Terrorism Squads (ATS) and Special Task Forces (STF) in different states. State Director General of Police Jacob Punnoose said without inter-state co-ordination, investigation into terror-related cases would be extremely difficult.

In some cases, investigations would have to be extended to international level to find out those trying to indoctrinate our citizens to indulge in extremist activities, he said.

The meeting discussed issues including information sharing, cases under investigation, terror financing and circulation of fake Indian currency notes, the sources said.

It was attended by police officials dealing with terrorism-related cases from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Representatives of central intelligence agencies, CBI, RBI, Financial Intelligence Unit, Revenue Intelligence, Enforcement Directorate, Narcotics Control Bureau and top officials of NIA also attended, the sources said.

PTI