'Mujahir'- A blog that urges Keralites to join ISIS

Thiruvananthapura, July 23: Mujahir is a blog that is run by Keralites who are pro-ISIS. This blog has around 40 articles in Malayalam which speaks about the need to be part of the ISIS. Written by people who have first hand experience, the articles quote the lives of those men and women who are part of the ISIS.

The blog exclusively caters to the Keralites who are urged to join the ISIS. The blog has become a focal part of the investigation after at least 21 persons from Kerala have gone missing and are suspected to have joined the ISIS.

In Kerala there have been several such instances where platforms such as blogs and Whatsapp groups have been used to lure youth into the fold of the ISIS.

40 articles inviting Keralites to the ISIS

The blog posts in Malayalam have the same message. It speaks about the experiences of people who are with the ISIS. The articles also speak about the need to pledge allegiance to the ISIS and its chief Abu Bakr al-Bhagdadi.

Travel to the Darul Islam from Darul Kufr and Darul Harb the article says in Malayalam. Loosely translated it means travel to the Caliphate in Syria and Iraq from the land of the disbelievers.

Investigating officers say that there are various such platforms that have mushroomed over the past couple of months which make calls to join the dreaded outfit. There are Whatsapp groups, Facebook pages and Twitter handles. These platforms have been created exclusively keeping the Kerala Muslim in mind, officials also say.

The rise of Wahhabism

Officials in Kerala blame the rise in Wahhabism for the problem. The highest rate of success that the Wahabis have witnessed is in Kerala. This is a lot to do with the fact that there is a large population of people who go to Saudi in search of employment.

Many in Kerala have welcomed with open arms the Wahabi style of preaching and this has let the Saudi controlled lot take control over nearly 75 Mosques in the state.

The newer Mosques that are coming up in Kerala are also constructed in the manner in which they are done in Saudi Arabia. This is just one small indicator of how much people of the state are willing to follow the radical style preached by the Wahabi scholars.

Moreover the inflow of funds into Kerala from Saudi is the highest when compared to any other part of the country.

It was in Kerala that one got to see posters mourning the death of Osama Bin Laden and also a prayer for Ajmal Kasab after he was hanged.

Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that a large number of youth appear to be attracted to this radical style of Islam, but also add that there are some elders who are trying to oppose it.

Donations under scanner

Donations are collected and diverted to Syria, a Telegram Channel in which the youth conversed with those in Syria said. This was going on for over a year and yet the local authorities missed the warning signals.

A probe is on to find the trail of nearly 21 people who have gone missing and are suspected to have joined the ISIS. Officials have learnt that there was a concerted effort on by several youth to fund the trips of those who wanted to join the ISIS. Donations were collected citing the Palestine cause, but the same was diverted to Syria.

When the ISIS announced the setting up of a Caliphate it attracted the attention of many. Some in Kerala felt the need to contribute to the ISIS cause.

They decided to collect donations in the name of the victims in Palestine and a high amount of money was channelised through businessmen in Kozhikode, Mallapuram and other places.

Investigators however, suspect now that the money could have been routed into Syria instead.

OneIndia News