Fatima Isa\'s mom moves Kerala HC to repatriate daughter from Afghanistan to India

Kochi: The mother of Nimisha, also known as Fatima Isa, presently languishing in an Afghan prison following the killing of her alleged IS fighter husband in a battle with security forces there, has moved the Kerala High Court seeking repatriation of her daughter and grand-daughter to India.

Nimisha was a Hindu before embracing Islam. She changed her name to Fatima and later married an alleged Islamic State (IS) operative from Kerala and both were reported missing, along with 19others from the southern state in June 2016 before reaching an ISIS-controlled territory in Afghanistan.

Fatima gave birth there in 2016. Bindu K, Fatima's mother, in her plea has said the return of her daughter and minor grand-daughter "shall not pose a threat to the security and sovereignty" of the country.

She has contended that once they are repatriated, Fatima can face the due process of law and her minor daughter can be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society. She has also said in her plea that India has an extradition treaty with Afghanistan from 2019 and since there is a Red Corner Notice against Fatima, who is also wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), she can be brought back to face the due process of law here.

Her petition has sought directions to the ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs to take necessary actions to facilitate repatriation of Fatima and her daughter from Afghanistan.

It has contended that India is bound to protect the rights and interests of two of its citizens - Fatima and her daughter - and it was the central government's responsibility to ensure the well being and welfare of the child.

It has also contended that once US forces move out of Afghanistan by September this year, local militias, radical groups and terror groups might take control of that country and therefore, it was "essential" to safeguard life and well being of Indian citizens detained there.

Besides Fatima,three other IS widows of Indian origin, are also lodged in a Kabul jail. She and three other women had surrendered to the Afghanistan government in 2019 after their husbands were killed in the fight with the forces there.

On March 15 last year, a video was released bya Delhi-based website, showing Fatima and three other Keralite women - Rafeela, Soniya Sebastian and Merrin Jacob - expressing their interest and hope to return to India.

In her petition, Bindu has alleged that her daughter was "systematically brainwashed and radicalised by a nexus of Islamic radicals led by Dr Zakir Abdul Karim Naik."