NIA court hands Kerala youth five-year jail term for leaving India to join the Islamic State
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Kochi on Tuesday sentenced a Wayanad native to five years rigorous imprisonment (RI) for travelling to Afghanistan in an attempt to join Islamic State (ISIS). Nashidul Hamzafar, 29, a resident of Kalpetta, pleaded guilty to the charges against him and was convicted by the court without a trial.
NIA court judge Anil Baskar ordered Nashidul to undergo three years of RI under section 120 B of IPC for conspiracy, five years RI and Rs 10,000 fine under section 125 IPC for waging war against any Asiatic power in alliance with the government of India, five years RI under section 38 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for an offence related to membership of a terrorist organisation and five years RI under section 39 of UAPA for an offence related to support given to a terrorist organisation. The court ordered that the sentences will run concurrently.
The period of his stay at the jail before the verdict will be set off. Hence he will have to undergo RI for one year and 10 months as he was arrested in September 2018 and has not received bail. He was shifted to the High-Security Prison at Viyoor in Thrissur.
Before concluding, the NIA judge wished a bright future to Nashidul. The judge also advised Nashidul at the open court that religion helps the development of the individual. But it is up to Nashidul to form the future in a good way and support his family. “Religion is for individuals and they can choose which faith to follow.
But when it comes to society, our Constitution is the religion. There should be respect for all religions. Hope you take the right step for your bright future,” the judge said in the open court.
The judge also said he understands that Nashidul’s father is a cancer survivor and his mother is bedridden. “Hope he understands the family situation as well. He is a young man,” the judge said at the open court.
It was in October 2017 that Nasidul, a BBM graduate working in Bengaluru, decided to join ISIS along with 15 persons from Kasargod who left for Afghanistan. Nasidul and his friend also from Wayanad tried to reach Afghanistan via Iran.
His friend following family pressure returned from Iran before entering Afghanistan. However, Nasidul crossed the border and was caught by Afghan police. He was detained at a jail in Kabul before being extradited to India in September 2018 and was arrested by the NIA.
His friend from Kalpetta had turned approver in the case. In the same case, a Bihar native Yasmeen Mohammad Zahid was sentenced to seven years imprisonment after being caught from the New Delhi airport while attempting to join ISIS in Afghanistan in 2016.
Other accused persons in the case reached Afghanistan and most of them were killed at the battle zone. Three women accused in the case were detained at a jail in Kabul. Their present status after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is not known.
Source: New Indian Express
