One of the four youths who joined the jehadi group Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, Arif Majeed has returned to India and was being interrogated by the National Investigating Agency. Arif hailing from Kalyan, arrived by a flight via Turkey on Friday. He was immediately whisked away by intelligence officials to an undisclosed location.
Majeed went "missing" in May along with three other Thane youths - Shahim Tanki, Aman Tandel and Fahad Shaikh. Later, their families living in and around Kalyan and police came to know that they had reportedly sneaked into Iraq and joined the IS ranks.
Earlier, intelligence agencies had gathered information that the four youths from Kalyan near Mumbai have been in touch with their families to return as they are being exploited in Iraq. Sources said the agencies have approached the families and assured them that the youths will not be harassed on their return.
Arif’s father had met the NIA officers in Mumbai and informed them that his son wants to come back. Arif had fled to Turkey and the other three are still in Southern Iraq where the IS has a stronghold.
Intelligence agencies managed to get phone intercepts where the youths are heard crying and asking their families to seek the government’s help for their return. Under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the militant group has been running a reign of terror in Iraq and Syria to establish a Caliphate and making its commander the supreme Muslim leader world over.
Arif, who suffered severe injuries, was not allowed to fight by the IS leadership, sources said, adding that he had a bullet injury and another wound suffered during an air strike. According to sources, Arif managed to flee to Turkey on the pretext of seeking treatment, and his sudden disappearance led to a suspicion that he had been killed.
Twenty three-year-old Arif told intelligence officials that he was drawn towards IS through a website, which had a phone number for those who wanted to join the terror group. Sources said Arif made a call to the number, saying he want to be part of the group and was asked to travel to Iraq by the terror outfit. “Arif arranged money on his own for his travel and reached Baghdad. He was taken to Mosul where he underwent intensive indoctrination for 25 days,” said an official.
Sources said he was told by the terror group that he could take up important duties related to administration so that his skills in civil engineering could be put to use. However, he reportedly insisted on being part of the militia.