4 Indians planning to join ISIS held in Syria

New Delhi, Jan 14: Syria has taken four Indians in its custody, who were planning to the join terrorist outfit ISIS, and asked the Indian authorities to verify their details.

Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Walid Al Moaulem, who is on a three-day visit to India, said the four Indians had entered Syria and were taken into custody in Damascus. He, however, did not specify when they were apprehended.

"Four Indians were taken into Syrian custody in Damascus. The four young Indians were planning to join the ISIS and had entered Syria from Jordan," Mr Moaulem told reporters in New Delhi.

He, however, did not give details like the name, from where the men come from and when were they taken into custody.

In December last, police arrested three people from Nagpur airport while they were planning to leave the country for joining ISIS.

Mr Moaulem, who is also the Foreign Minister, said he would not be in a position to help in the release of 39 Indians who were taken hostage by ISIS terrorists from Iraqi city of Mosul in June 2014.

"I will try to secure their release if they are in the custody of Iraqi forces but won't be able to do anything if they are still in the custody of ISIS," Mr Moaulem said.

PTI