NIA Detains Suspect Linked to ISIS Recruitment in Tamil Nadu
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Synopsis
The NIA has arrested Alphazith, a 25-year-old suspect linked to ISIS recruitment in Tamil Nadu, during early morning raids in Chennai and Mayiladuthurai. Ongoing investigations suggest he was involved in enlisting individuals for the banned terrorist organization.
Key Takeaways
- Alphazith (25) arrested in Chennai.
- Raids conducted at 15 locations in Mayiladuthurai.
- Involved in ISIS recruitment activities.
- Ongoing investigations by the NIA.
- Targeting networks linked to fundamentalist organizations.
Chennai, Jan 28 (NationPress) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has detained a significant suspect, identified as Alphazith (25), related to ISIS recruitment operations. This arrest occurred in Purasaiwalkam, Chennai, during a raid initiated by the NIA at 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Alphazith, who hails from Mayiladuthurai district, was employed as a driver for Kasturi Ambulance Service in Purasaiwalkam. Initial investigations suggest that he played a role in the recruitment of individuals for ISIS, a designated terrorist group.
Ongoing investigations are underway.
The NIA executed simultaneous raids across Chennai and Mayiladuthurai districts early Tuesday, beginning at 3:30 a.m., after receiving intelligence that individuals in various areas of Tamil Nadu were being recruited for outlawed groups.
Raids were conducted at 15 sites in Mayiladuthurai and 5 locations in Chennai. NIA teams from Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, along with support from the Tamil Nadu Police, participated in the operations.
Sources within the Tamil Nadu Police indicated that the raids were aimed at areas linked to banned Islamic fundamentalist groups.
Recently, the NIA has carried out several raids throughout Tamil Nadu, targeting sites in Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Madurai, and beyond. These operations often focused on former members of the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI), which was banned by the Indian government in 2022.
One prominent case involved the murder of Ramalingam, a leader of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), on February 5, 2019, in Thanjavur. He was allegedly killed by PFI members for opposing forced conversions of marginalized individuals.
Previously, the NIA had filed charges against 18 PFI members in this case. On September 24, 2024, the NIA conducted raids at 12 locations in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Kanyakumari, and Pudukottai, linked to recruitment activities for Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HUT), another banned terrorist organization.
The investigation into HUT's recruitment intensified after the Tamil Nadu Police arrested six individuals, including engineering graduate Hameed Hussain, on August 1, 2024. Hussain was identified as the mastermind behind HUT’s recruitment efforts, utilizing social media to promote an Islamic caliphate and criticize democratic processes.
In a significant development, on August 31, 2024, the NIA apprehended HUT activist Aziz Ahamed (also known as Jaleel Aziz Ahmed) at Bengaluru International Airport while he attempted to leave the country. This marked a crucial advancement in the NIA's efforts against the group's operations in India.
The NIA is continuing its investigation into the wider network involved in radicalization and recruitment, aiming to neutralize threats to national security.
