Islamic State Recruiting In Karnataka, Reveal Terror Suspects Arrested In Kerala’s Kannur 

As many as five Islamic State (IS) suspects arrested in Kerala’s Kannur district have revealed that the terror outfit is spreading its tentacles in the adjoining state of Karnataka, The News Minute has reported.

Two suspects detained in Kannur on Thursday (26 October) and identified as UK Hamsa and Manaf Rahman have revealed that the outfit is using social media to spread its links to Karnataka’s Kodagu district. On Wednesday (25 October), three others suspects identified by the police as Mithilaj KC (26), Abdul Razak KV (24), and Rasheed MV (27) had been arrested in Kannur.

According to Kannur Deputy Superintendent (DySP) Sadanandan, Manaf Rahman came under the National Investigative Agency’s scanner when he was sent back from the Mangaluru airport six months ago.

“Manaf, at the time was trying to make his way to Syria to join the Islamic State. It was Hamsa who lured Manaf into joining the IS”, the DySP said.

“In 1988, Hamsa travelled to several countries in the Gulf using a fake passport. He returned to India 20 years later and was arrested at the airport in Santa Cruz in Mumbai. He did some time in the prison in Andheri,” he added.

Manaf, the DySP said, was acting as the link for ISIS recruitments in Karnataka.

“Hamsa was the kingpin in recruiting people and that is how he met Manaf. Manaf had ties in Karnataka. It is suspected that he helped in recruiting,” he added.

This development comes just days after Kerala police confirmed the death of another five men in Syria, all belonging to Kannur.  (PTI)