Arrested Kerala IS operative had fought in Iraq: NIA

Kochi: A Kerala man who was arrested on Wednesday for joining and supporting the activities of the IS, had undergone arms training and fought for the terrorist organisation in Iraq, said the National Investigation Agency on Thursday.

The investigation agency revealed about the activities of Subahani Haja Moideen, 31, in the remand report filed at the NIA court here.

In a statement, the NIA said Subahani, who was residing in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, originally hails from Thodupuzha in Kerala's Idukki district.

"He revealed that he had gone to Iraq on April 6, 2015, to join IS and fight for the organisation. He told his parents and wife that he was going to perform 'Umrah'. He left India for Istanbul from Chennai on a visit visa. After reaching Istanbul, he crossed over along with others, including people from Pakistan and Afghanistan, to IS-held territory in Iraq," the NIA said in the statement.

"He was taken to Mosul in Iraq, where he underwent detailed course in Sharia followed by combat training. On completion of combat training, including training in the automated weapons, he was sent to the war zone in Mosul for security duties in IS-held territory, which he performed for almost two weeks. He was being paid $100 per month as subsistence allowance by the IS," the statement added.

Subahani also revealed to the NIA that he could not withstand the violence and war misery in Mosul and decided to leave the organisation, especially after two of his friends were charred before him in a shell attack.

"On conveying his decision to quit the organisation, he was imprisoned by the IS at Mosul and was subjected to extreme torture. He, along with other foreign fighters, was produced before an IS judge, following which he was again incarcerated at Raqqa in Syria. Later, for reasons yet to be ascertained, he was allowed to leave IS-controlled territory and return to Turkey along with five other foreign nationals," said the statement.

Following this, he stayed illegally in Istanbul for about two weeks, before he approached the Indian Consulate for returning to India.

"He contacted his family and conveyed his decision to return to India, following which they sent him money for flight tickets. After Turkish police issued a clearance certificate, he was issued an emergency certificate by Indian Consulate, by which he returned to India through Mumbai on September 22 in 2015. He returned to Tirunelveli and got a job as a salesman in a gold jewellery shop," added the statement.

After he settled down, he again got in touch with IS handlers over internet and was planning to collect explosives and precursor chemicals from Sivakasi.

Incidentally, his arrest came after the NIA arrested six men on Sunday while they were holding a meeting in Kannur in Kerala.