`Kashmir on IS radar’

The three Islamic State (IS) sympathisers from the city , who were nabbed by Maharashtra ATS and Telangana police in Nagpur a couple of weeks ago, felt Kashmir could be the right place to carry out `jihad’ as they saw videos of some pro-separatist forces waving IS and Pakistan flags there.

The youngsters Abdullah Basith, Maaz Hasan also saw videos of Dukhtarane-Millat chief Asiya Andrabi organising a meeting with the backdrop of Pakistan flags and other pro-separatist youths waiving IS flags.These events were playing on their mind and they felt Kashmir could be the right place to carry out jihad before developing ties with the banned IS.

In their confession before Hyderabad police, the three disclosed that they saw 10 videos and decided to adopt jihadi ideology . Sources in Telangana police said Basith was more committed to the cause among the three. Though police tried to counsel him in December 2014, when he and Maaz Hasan attempted to crossover to Bangla desh and join the IS, Basith was determined to join the IS and kept a low profile for some time. Within a few months after being released with a stern warning, Basith and Maaz started watching IS-related videos, speeches and other related material, police sources said.

Police said the trio only had an intention to join the IS, but they did not have any concrete plans. Basith and Maaz had a strong leaning towards jihad, but were resisting joining any terror outfit due to pressure from their parents. During a family function at their late uncle, Syed Salauddin’s residence in Nalgonda, their passion for jihad was reignited and they decided to go ahead with their plan to join any terror outfit.

“Basith was on our radar and so was Maaz. Of the two, Basith was hardcore. Though we tried to dissuade him from taking up extremist ac tivities, he was completely radicalised. They were not doing well in education and they just wanted to go away from home. Their parents, who were unaware about their plans, actually wanted to see them do well in education. After going to Kashmir, they wanted to develop contacts and join any terror outfit,” the source said.

The three youth are now in judicial remand and the Hyderabad police have already gathered evidence about their trip to Nagpur airport from Hyderabad and recovered their two bikes and CCTV footage.