ISIS snares former Malayali journalist, widens net for Indian professionals

Mangalore Today News Network

Thiruvananthapuram, August 6, 2015: A 24-year-old former journalist from Kerala is working with the ISIS, according to intelligence officials. Officials say he joined ISIS about a year ago.

He was working at a regional newspaper in Palakkad district of Kerala and then left to Qatar to work as an international reporter for the same newspaper. The newspaper is run by the National Development Front, a organisation in Kerala set up to focus on socio-economic issues of minorities with special focus on Muslims in Kerala.

After working in Palakkad, he left to Qatar and then Doha where he was also working as an accountant and DTP operator after which he left to Syria.

He put out inflammatory posts on Facebook starting November 2014. Some of the posts (attached) showed pictures of those fighting with him in Syria, videos of Jihadis including children, posts welcoming Muslims across the world to join the holy war etc.

One post with pictures of dead children was addressed to Janam TV and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Syrian president Basha Al Ashad were the same just that they were born to different parents.

The account in the name of "Thahir Hasan" has been deactivated. After he came under the scanner, he has been on and off the radar.

One post by him has claimed that he does not work for the Islamic state (which kills "innocent Muslims") but for the Syrian wing of Al Qaeda.

He received a degree (BA Sociology) from the Green Valley Academy in Manjeri near Malappuram. The academy that taught him his degree course did so without any fee. Having studied in a reputed school he also knew good English. The role of the academy is also under scanner. This academy is also said to be run by the NDF and has been raided in the past for suspected recruiting activities.

 

Courtesy: Indiatoday