6 Accused in Maha ISIS Case Used WhatsApp Group ‘Unity in Muslim Ummah’ to Propagate Violent Jihad: NIA

The National Investigative Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet in the ISIS Maharashtra case against six people, namely Tabish Nasser Siddiqui, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Zubair Noor Mohammad Shaikh, Sharjeel Abdul Sattar Shaikh, Adnanali Qamarali Sarkar and Aakif Ateeque Nachan.

The charge sheet, which is roughly a 4,000-page document, mentions the modus operandi adopted by the accused to spread ISIS propaganda in the country, and recruit more youth to work for the terrorist organisation.

The charge sheet has also recorded statements of 13 witnesses, wherein their identity has been protected.

NIA in its investigation has found video evidences from the cell phone of Sharjeel Shaikh, which show videos on ‘bayath’ (pledge of allegiance) having ‘Flag of Islamic State’ (ISIS), persons wearing masks carrying weapons.

The videos also contain firing and bombing shots, speeches of Khalifa of ISIS, India Wilayah and Pakistan Wilayah published by the Islamic State, and step-by-step process showing use of Proton VPN application in mobile phones for hiding the actual user identity and IP address. Videos regarding lone-wolf attack and ISIS militant beheading another man have also been found by the agency on the cell phone of the accused. Videos of speeches of Ahmad Musa Jibril, Islamic radical preacher, were also found in the mobile phone.

The charge sheet mentions the content in the magazine, Sawt al-Hind (Voice of Hind), which was used by these accused as propaganda aimed at actively recruiting and encouraging Indian Muslims to wage jihad and carry out attacks in the country.

The magazine issue, which was scanned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), suggested new ways for supporters of the group to carry out attacks in the country, and its content as a tool to recruit Indian Muslims.

The contents of the magazine were aimed at isolating the Indian Muslim community from the rest of society, encouraging the Muslim youth to turn to terrorism and extremism and escalate jihadi violence in the country. Apart from the Voice of Hind, Voice of Khorasan (Vok) and Khilafat magazines were also found in the NIA searches and investigation of the accused.

Khilafat magazine has updates on Bayath taken by the Muslims of India, Iraq, Pakistan, West Africa Khorasan, Yemen, East Asia, Somalia, ISIS’ killings and siege.

One of the accused in the case — Zubair used WhatsApp chat groups to post messages, YouTube links, videos related to violent jihad, supporting ISIS posts, messages on Khilafat, videos of Israr Ahmed and Anwar Awalaki. These messages were posted of the groups named ‘Unity in Muslim Ummah’ and ‘Important’.

NIA investigation has found that Tabish Siddiqui and Zulfikar Ail Barodawala had taken Bayath and shared an email about the same with ISIS. Siddiqui had shared DIY kits with other accused and contacts.

To establish further communication and not get caught by the agencies, Zulfikar talked over Telegram with Tabish Siddiqui related to Islamic State and discussed about shifting to Padgha. The accused believed that Padgha-Borivali is Mulk-Sham, which means Greater Syria.

They also said Tawheed (unification), Jammah (prayer in congregation) and jihad are being preached at Padgha-Borivali.

Source » news18.com