A PFI linked module of 2016 and the spread of the Islamic State ideology in south India
A powerful module affiliated with the PFI had planned to kill judges, policemen and politicians as part of their plan to wage war against the state. This module operated mainly in southern India
New Delhi, Oct 01: The investigations being conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) revealed that a very powerful module affiliated with the Popular Front of India (PFI), which was banned earlier this week, had planned targeted killings of high-profile personalities.
The module that was busted by the NIA goes by the name Ansar-ul-Khilafa KL. The module comprising 10 members had planned to kill judges, policemen and politicians as part of their plan to wage war against the state. This module operated mainly in southern India.
In 2016, the module came to light when the NIA arrested four persons from Kannur district in Kerala. In 2018, the NIA filed a charge sheet against accused persons Manseed Muhmood, Swalih Mohammed, Rashid Ali, Ramshad NK, Safvan, Jasim NK and Shajeer Mangalassery for criminal conspiracy and various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
With PFI banned, agencies probe international links and hand in ISIS recruitment
Officials tell OneIndia that the motive of these persons was to further the activities of the ISIS in Kerala. The group had become dangerous and was also looking to raise funds, recruit across Kerala and other parts of south India. The module was being overseen by Omar al-Hindi, who is suspected to be based out of Syria.
They would exchange material over online platforms and also speak about how to build a strong module in South India and carry out strikes. They had also planned on carrying out lone wolf strikes in the south, officials also said.
The NIA has said that the PFI has been radicalising the youth to join the Islamic State. The problem has not been restricted just to Kerala. The Islamic State has managed to spread its tentacles to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as well.
In its 2016 charge sheet, the National Investigation speaks about the role of Mohammad Naseer, a computer engineer in his mid 20s. Naseer was heading to Libya from Sudan, but was apprehended and later deported to India.
He
did
his
computer
engineering
from
the
MNM
college
in
Chennai.
It
was
at
this
time
that
he
would
visit
a
mosque
at
Chennai
which
was
run
by
the
Tamil
Nadu
Thowheed
Jamath,
non-political
Islamic
Organisation
that
preaches
a
puritanical
version
of
Islam.
This
group
was
founded
by
P
Jainul
Abdeen
in
2004,
when
he
broke
away
from
the
Tamil
Nadu
Muslim
Munnetra
Kazhagam.
The
role
of
the
ISIS
in
Tamil
Nadu
was
unraveled
in
a
big
way
in
2014.
In
August
2014,
the
police
arrested
Abdul
Rahman
and
Mohammad
Rizwan
from
the
Ramnathapuram
district
on
the
charge
that
they
were
distributing
t-shirts
with
the
ISIS
emblem.
A
photo
showing
26
youth
posing
with
the
t-shirt
in
front
of
a
Mosque
at
Thondi
had
surfaced
on
the
social
media.
While
the
police
were
not
able
to
find
any
direct
link
with
the
outfit,
it,
however,
showed
that
the
ISIS
was
gradually
being
received
in
the
state.
In Tamil Nadu, there are several groups which have been trying to wade off this threat. The high number of radicalisations in the state since early 2013 had left security agencies and many members of the Muslim community worried.
Now PFI faces digital takedown
Intelligence
Bureau
officials
tell
OneIndia
that
the
threat
in
TN
is
not
just
from
the
ISIS.
The
Al-Qaeda
through
its
various
shadow
outfits
have
set
up
shop
in
the
state.
One
such
outfit
is
called
the
Base
Movement,
which
subscribes
to
the
Al-Qaeda's
ideology.
The
combination
of
terror
groups
in
the
south
comprises
both
underground
and
overground
operatives.
There
are
groups
such
as
the
Al-Ummah
which
operate
openly
and
focus
largely
on
political
hits.
The
blast
at
Coimbatore
or
the
one
outside
the
BJP
office
in
Karnataka
in
2013
all
bore
the
signature
of
the
Al-Ummah
as
the
attacks
were
political
in
nature.