Three youth who have been reported to be missing from Malwani, may have joined Islamic State, suspect the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).
The latest development comes days after the ATS questioned a Pune-based 16-year-old Muslim girl, who was reportedly radicalised by her ISIS contacts abroad and brain-washed to go to Syria.
According to a report in a leading daily, Ayaz Sultan (23), Mohsin Sheikh (26) & Wajid Sheikh (25) had left from home on different dates in the last two months citing various reasons, however they have not returned since then.
The ATS also suspect that Ayaz, who left home on October 30, has already left the country. Ayaz was working in a call centre in Malad.
However, there are no leads yet about Wajid and Mohsin. Both of them had left their home on December 16. Wajid, a graduate, was running the family’s wholesale business in lemons, while Mohsin was driving auto.
Also read: Indian Oil Corporation marketing manager arrested for alleged links with ISIS
The trio was also saving money to travel and had approached a travel agent to plan their journey.
Speaking to Mid-Day, the ATS officer said, "The three men from the same neighbourhood are close friends. Their families told us they were planning to leave the country for some time now. They were even saving up to fund their travel."
He further added, "The radicalisation and exchange of information was through the Internet. We have confiscated several items from their houses and are investigating.”
Last week, a senior official of state-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) was arrested for alleged links with terror organisation ISIS, police said. The Special Operation Group (SOG) and ATS of Rajasthan Police arrested Mohd Sirazudin, the marketing manager of IOC in Jaipur.
Sirazudin, hailing from Gulbarga in Karnataka was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his alleged involvement in (activities of) international terrorist organisation ISIS, supplying official inputs and recruiting organisation members in the country.
