NIA files supplementary chargesheet against 2 ISIS terrorists in Kerala court

 The NIA filed a supplementary chargesheet on Monday against two members of the Islamic State terror group for allegedly conspiring to recruit people to further its objectives in India, an official said.

The chargesheet was filed before a special NIA court in Kerala's Ernakulum against Sidhikhul Aslam (31) of Thiruvananthapuram and Muhammad Polakkanni (28) of Kozhikode under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a spokesperson of the agency said.

The case was registered suo motu by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on October 1, 2016 in connection with a conspiracy by some members of the ISIS-inspired terror module, Ansarul Khilafa-KL, from southern India with the intention of furthering the objectives of the ISIS, he added.

Five accused were arrested by the NIA on October 2, 2016 from Kerala's Kannur while they were preparing to carry out terror attacks in Kerala and Tamil Nadu by targeting prominent persons, including judges, police officers and politicians, and places of tourism where foreigners, especially Jews, congregate, the official said.

On November 27, 2019, six members of the ISIS-inspired terror module -- Manseed Muhmood, Swalih Mohammed, Rashid Ali, Ramshad N K, Safvan P and Moinudheen P K -- were convicted in the case by the special court for offences under the IPC and the UAPA.

They were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment ranging from three to 14 years and fined.Aslam conspired with the convicted members of the terror module and attempted to recruit more people into the ISIS for furthering its objectives in India, the NIA official said.He was arrested on October 28, 2020, following his return from Saudi Arabia.

Polakkanni conspired with the convicted persons to propagate violent extremism by actively disseminating materials supporting "jihadi" ideology and effect terrorist attacks in south India, the official said.

He also travelled to Georgia in early 2018 with the intention of crossing over to Turkey and eventually, to Syria to join the ISIS, the NIA spokesperson said.

Polakkanni was arrested by the Georgian authorities while attempting to illegally cross over to Turkey using a fake passport, the official said.He was arrested on September 19, 2020, following his deportation from Georgia.