Indian Islamic State fighters have second thoughts as they shun jehad for soft jobs

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, January 7, 2015: The four Kalyan youths who had allegedly joined the Islamic State in Syria last year seem to be having second thoughts as regards becoming a jehadist.

One of them- Areeb Majeed-who has returned to India has expressed his willingness to pursue further studies like engineering. Of the remaining three, one is working in an oil refinery company and another in a hospital, most likely looking after patients.

Farad Sheikh and Shaheen Tanki who had accompanied Areeb to Syria in May last year to join the terror organisation, have claimed that they were living a layman’s life after taking up these jobs.

Although it is not yet clear as to which company or the hospital they are working and also the work assigned to them, one can draw a conclusion that they are repenting for the earlier goal of becoming a jehadist that they had set for themselves.

According to a source, Sheikh and Tanki have conveyed this to their parents and family members, whom they used to call up from Syria once or twice a week.

 

"They had said that they were fine and are doing their jobs nicely. Sheikh claimed that he was working in an oil refinery whereas Shaheen Tanki was employed with a hospital," the source said, adding that these details were revealed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after tapping phone calls. The three youths, yet to return, have however, stopped calling since the past two months. The reason is still unclear as to why they are not calling up their family members.

Sheikh and Tanki taking up soft jobs also signifies that were not hardcore fanatics like Areeb, who has been remorseless, even after being interrogated by the NIA and Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) officials to find out the alleged terror links of IS in the country.

"Sheikh and Tanki were not that aggressive like Areeb, as they were well mannered," a source said. Back home, Areeb, who is under judicial custody at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai has also expressed his willingness to further pursue a course in engineering.

Areeb told this to his father Ijaz, when they met at the prison after the court granted permission for 15 minutes, the source said. Areeb who was brought to the country by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials was arrested on arrival few months back and was interrogated by the ATS, NIA and IB officials.

He had allegedly joined the terror outfit in Syria and is now in judicial custody. He had also sustained bullet injuries while fighting for the IS. His judicial custody will end on January 14.

Areeb, the 22-year old, was pursuing a diploma in civil engineering at a Navi Mumbai College when he left the country. Apart from the Indians jehadis who have given up their dreams of being ’fighters’, a number young French Muslim converts are also having second thoughts about signing up to ISIS as revealed in a series of weepy messages home that were leaked.

One said: "I am fed up to the back teeth. I have got to come home." Another ’fighter’ said: "I’ve done hardly anything but hand out clothes and food."

Courtesy: Indiatoday