Kochi: The National Investigation Agency on Thursday produced Islamic State terrorist Subahani Haja Moideen, 31, a Thodupuzha native, who helped the IS in the war-zone at Mosul in Iraq, before the Ernakulam NIA court. Subahani was radicalised and recruited to ISIS by recruiters active on the social media platforms. He left India to join IS and spent two weeks in Iraq but left the organisation as he could not withstand the violence and war misery at Mosul. He then left the IS and came back to India after getting help from the Indian consulate in Istanbul in Sept. 2015.
The NIA informed the court that Subahani was planning attacks in India by collecting firearms in Tamil Nadu. According to the NIA, the accused left India for Istanbul from Chennai on a visit visa. After reaching Istanbul, he crossed over along with others, including people from Pakistan and Afghanistan, to the ISIS-held territory in Iraq. He was taken to Mosul in Iraq, where he underwent detailed course in Shariya followed by combat training.
On completion of the training, including in automated weapons, he was sent to the war zone at Mosul for security duties in ISIS-held territory, which he performed for almost two weeks. He was being paid USD 100 per month as subsistence allowance by the ISIS along with common available accommodation and food without any additional charges, the NIA said. According to the NIA, the accused decided to leave the organisation after two of his friends were burnt alive before him in a shell attack. On conveying his decision to quit the organisation, he was imprisoned by ISIS at Mosul and was subjected to extreme torture.
He, along with other similar deserting foreign fighters, was produced before a judge of the ISIS, following which he was again incarcerated at Raqqa in Syria. Later, for reasons yet to be ascertained, he was allowed to leave ISIS-controlled territory and return to Turkey along with five other foreign nationals. Subahani Haja Moideen, residing at Kadayanallur, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, was arrested by the NIA on Wednesday for joining and supporting the activities of the ISIS, proscribed under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He originally hails from Maliyekkal House, Market Road, Thodupuzha, Idukki district, Kerala, the NIA said.
The NIA searched his house at Kadayanallur, Tirunelveli, on October 3 and he was summoned to the NIA branch office, Kochi, for further examination. During his examination, he revealed that he had gone to Iraq on April 8, 2015 to join the ISIS and fight for the organisation. He had left home telling his parents and wife that he was going to perform Umrah. After his release from IS custody, he stayed illegally in Istanbul for about two weeks before he approached the Indian consulate for returning to India.
