Karnataka: NIA Files Chargesheet Against Three ISIS Recruiters In Bengaluru Court

The three accused have been identified as Muhammad Tauqir Mahmood and Zohaib Manna of Bengaluru, and Mohammed Shihab of Bhatkal in Karnataka.

The investigation agency had earlier filed a chargesheet against two accused in the case. (Image: ANI)

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed a supplementary chargesheet before a special court in Bengaluru against three people for their alleged involvement in radicalising and recruiting gullible Muslim youth into the ISIS terrorist group.

According to a spokesperson of NIA, the three accused have been identified as Muhammad Tauqir Mahmood and Zohaib Manna of Bengaluru, and Mohammed Shihab of Bhatkal in Karnataka.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) today filed a supplementary charge sheet in a special court in Bengaluru against three ISIS recruiters on charges of radicalising and recruiting gullible Muslim youth into fold of ISIS through the "Quran Circle" group: NIA pic.twitter.com/q2xheuQZHm

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2022

Not only have they recruited Muslim youth to the terrorist group, they have also raised and received funds to finance the visit of the radicalised youths to Syria, the spokesperson said. All three of them have been charged under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

According to the NIA official, a case was registered in September 2020 after the interrogation of Dr Abdur Rahman in a case of the Islamic State Khorasan Province that led to unravelling of an ISIS module.

During the probe, names of various people involved in radicalising and funding the visits of Muslim youth from Bengaluru and Karnataka to ISIS areas, such as Syria, came up, the official said.

It is to be noted that the investigation agency had earlier filed a chargesheet against two accused in the case.

The official said that Mahmood and Manna were involved in radicalising and recruiting the gullible Muslim youth into the fold of ISIS through a ‘Quran Circle’ group. They were also involved in raising and receiving funds to finance their visit to Syria.

Mahmood and Shihab had earlier visited Syria illegally to establish connection with the ISIS terrorists, the spokesperson said, adding that further investigation in the case is underway.