Three youths from Mumbai who have been missing for quite some time are suspected of having joined global terrorist outfit the Islamic State. Identified as Ayaz Sultan (23), Mohsin Sheikh (26) and Wajid Sheikh (25), all three are residents of Malvani area, western suburb of Mumbai. Parents of the three have registered a missing complaint with the Malvani police.
Senior inspector Milind Khetle said, “We suspect that the three joined the IS and our probe is on to ascertain this.” An official of the Anti-Terrorism Squad said they suspect the three young men have been radicalised and have joined the ISIS, adding the ATS is probing into the matter. While Sultan went missing on October 30, the other two are off radar since December 16, the official said. Khetle said Sultan left home on October 30 after telling his parents that he had to go to Pune in connection with a job offer he got from a Kuwait-based firm. Mohsin left home on December 16, saying he was going to attend a friend's wedding while Wajid also left home the same day saying he had to get the name on his Aadhar card corrected.
Based on statements taken from family members, it seems they were highly radicalised, police said. They are trying to find out whether the missing men were brain-washed into joining the IS by someone personally or through Internet. The terror outfit influences youngsters from different countries, persuading them to join their 'cause'.
Four youths from Kalyan township in Thane had gone to Syria in May last year to join the IS. One of them, Areeb Majeed returned and currently lies in NIA custody while whereabouts of the other three were not yet known. Also, a Pune-based 16-year-old Muslim girl, who was reportedly radicalised by her IS contacts abroad and brain-washed to go to Syria, was questioned by ATS officials earlier this month and sent to a de-radicalisation programme.
In similar news, two absconding members of the banned Indian Mujahideen have joined the dreaded terrorist group ISIS, Lok Sabha informed. In reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Haribhai Chaudhary said, “There are intelligence inputs of one or two members of the Indian Mujahideen, who were absconding from India since many years, having joined the ISIS/ISIL.”
Some disillusioned British youngsters have been a cause of concern by going over to Syria and joining ISIS. With the news of these suspects from India allegedly joining Isis, adding to the ever-growing list of radicalised youth, is certainly alarming and disheartening.