How An ‘Arabic College’ Was Used For ISIS Recruitment And Islamic Radicalisation In Tamil Nadu

On Tuesday (6 August), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of the Home Ministry said that it had filed a chargesheet against four individuals in connection with an ISIS radicalisation and recruitment case in Tamil Nadu last year.

The religious indoctrination, said NIA, started at an Arabic language centre in Coimbatore. The centre was initially named Madras Arabic College and was later changed to Kovai Arabic College.

At this centre, the radicalisation of youths to pledge allegiance to ISIS and commit to forming an Islamic caliphate in India (Darul-e-Islam) was carried out, said NIA.

The ‘chief mentor’ at the centre also guided his alumni to establish several study centres linked to the college in various districts.

The four charged men are Jameel Basha, Maulvi Mohammed Hussain Faizy, Irshath and Syed Abdul Rahman. The first centre was started by Hussain and Irshath, Basha’s former student.

Basha, the ‘chief mentor’ at the centre, had his pre-recorded lectures shown to students and circulated through WhatsApp and Telegram

Notably, this activity was busted by the NIA while investigating a car bomb blast that took place in Coimbatore in October 2022. As per NIA, 10 accused arrested in the blast case were linked to the Kovai Arabic College. They were also found to be part of an encrypted mobile platform group.

According to the NIA, the accused had praised Zahran Hashim — a Sri Lankan jihadist who orchestrated a 2019 attack in Colombo that killed 250 civilians — in their communications.