Why are Indian agencies opposing the return of Malayali ISIS recruits from Afghanistan

New Delhi, July 05: Nimisha Fathima's mother Bindu filed a petition in the Kerala High Court seeking the repatriation of her daughter who had left India and joined the Islamic State in Afghanistan. The habeas corpus petition sought a directive to the Centre to bring Fathima and her grand-child back. They have been lodged in a jail in Afghanistan since 2019.

She further goes on to state that the failure to bring her daughter back is in violation of the moral and legal responsibility of the Indian government as well as international conventions.

Four women from Kerala had left for Afghanistan to join the Islamic State and they are Fathima, Sonia Sebastin, Merin Jacob and Rafila. The Indian agencies are however strongly opposed to their repatriation.

While the Afghanistan government has begun the process of discussing with the above mentioned countries regarding their deportation, Indian agencies are not keen on having these persons back. For one, they are highly radicalised. Secondly their return could be a planned one in order to incite attacks in India, like was the case in France.

An Intelligence Bureau official tells OneIndia that their return could set a precedent. Many would want to leave the country join a proscribed terror outfit and then wait for the Indian government to get them back, the official also said.

Nimisha alias Fathima had left India along with a group of 21 from Kerala and joined the Islamic State in Afghanistan last year. She along with three others and surrendered in Afghanistan and now want to return.

Their return would also be classic text book of what the slain ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had said before his death. When the strength in the main land started to dwindle, he had asked the fighters to return to their country and wage lone wolf attacks.

The primary intent of leaving the country was not to continue fighting in Afghanistan or Syria. The move to the mainland was to train and then return with an intention of enhancing the modules and carrying out attacks. On their return, if they manage to get away, then they will radicalise the locals. If they are kept in jails then they would radicalise within the prison.

The IB terms such persons as silent returnees of the ISIS. This is a new challenge for us and the vigil is high, the IB officer says. There are various routes that these recruits have been using.