Special NIA court convicts Chennai-based engineer in Islamic State conspiracy case

A special court of the National Investigating Agency (NIA) on Wednesday sentenced and convicted Tamil Nadu-based engineer Mohamed Naser Packeer for seven years of rigorous imprisonment in an Islamic State (ISIS) conspiracy case. Naser, who is a certified ethical hacker from Chennai, was working as a web developer and graphic designer in Dubai in 2014. He has also been charged with a fine of Rs 40,000.

The NIA in a press release stated that a case was registered on December 9, 2015, under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 18, 18B, 38 and 39 of UA (P) Act, 1967 and pertains to criminal conspiracy hatched by the ISIS to establish its base in the country by recruiting youth through social media platforms.

The main objective of ISIS is to establish a Caliphate by indulging in terrorist activities across different countries in the world including India, the agency said.

The NIA had filed charge sheets against 16 accused including Naser on June 3, 2020- and 15 others had already been convicted up to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by the special court on October 16, 2020.

The release also said Naser was motivated to join the terror outfit as he got radicalised through online lectures given by Islamic scholars. He had come across some online handlers who had left from Dubai to join ISIS in Libya via Sudan.

Source: Hindustan Times