When Indians asked Baghdadi on how to join ISIS

The reason why Iyad El-Baghdadi was queried regarding ISIS was that he shares his surname with Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Pic courtesy: Twitter

New Delhi: An Arab Spring activist on Tuesday said he wanted to get in touch with the Indian authorities to report about people who have flooded him with questions on how to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

The reason why the Palestine-born UAE citizen was queried regarding this was that he shares his surname with Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

According to Iyad El-Baghdadi, Indians have been sending him e-mails expressing the desire to join the ISIS and asking for ways to reach the ‘Caliphate’.

Paying heed to Iyad's complaints, intelligence agencies are trying to extract information on those who contacted the Arab Spring activist.

In a tweet on Tuesday evening, Iyad, who has been living in Norway ever since he sought asylum, asked how he could get in touch with Indian authorities to report such people.

If I get emails from India-based accounts asking how to join ISIS, who in India do I report them to? — Iyad El-Baghdadi (@iyad_elbaghdadi) June 21, 2016

In another tweet, he mentioned:

Already contacted the email host and reported. I want to know the security agency to report to as well, just in case. @taufiq_wan — Iyad El-Baghdadi (@iyad_elbaghdadi) June 21, 2016

A Twitter handle of the Mumbai Police took note of the complaint made by Iyad and said: “Thank you for bringing it to our notice. We will look into it.”

Notably, this is not the first time Iyad has been confused for the Islamic State chief.

Highly-placed sources in the Indian Home Ministry say the security agencies are keeping a strict vigil on the social media activity of the "potential targets" of terror modules.

Simultaneously, there is an effort to bring youth from the minority community into the mainstream through various employment prospects.