Kerala ISIS Recruitment Case: Woman sentenced to 7 years rigorous-imprisonment
What's the story
NIA Special Court in Kochi has sentenced a woman ISIS-operative Yasmeen Mohammed Zahid to seven years rigorous imprisonment in connection with Kerala Islamic State recruitment case.
Special Judge S Santhosh Kumar awarded the sentence after convicting her under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal Code.
Ernakulam NIA special court also imposed Rs. 25,000 fine on her.
Here's more.
ISIS operatives
NIA files charge-sheet against Zahid and main accused Abdulla
Last year, National Investigation Agency had filed the charge sheet against two ISIS operatives Abdul Rashid Abdulla as the main accused, who motivated a number of youths from Kasaragod to leave India along with their families to join the Islamic State, and Yasmeen Mohammed Zahid.
Zahid, who hailed from Bihar, is the second accused in the IS recruitment case investigated by the NIA.
Details
Zahid nabbed while trying to leave for Kabul
Zahid was intercepted while trying to take a flight to Kabul to join the Islamic State in Afghanistan.
There are a total of 15 accused in the IS recruitment case. The NIA had charge-sheeted only two, as the 13 others including first accused, Rashid, were in Afghanistan and one in Syria.
Meanwhile, three are believed to be killed in air strikes in Afghanistan.
The Case
Conspiracy hatched within and outside India by youth: NIA
NIA said the case relates to the criminal conspiracy hatched within and outside India by certain youths, originally hailing from Kasaragod district of Kerala, with the intention of furthering the objectives of ISIS and their pursuant exit from India along with their families for joining and supporting the terror organization.
The case was re-registered at the NIA police station, Kochi on 24 August 2016.
NIA Probe
Abdulla motivated youths to leave India with families, join IS
A probe by the NIA has established that Abdul Rashid Abdulla was the main conspirator; he motivated a number of youths from Kerala's Kasaragod to leave India along with their families to join the Islamic State.
He even conducted classes in Kasaragod and other places in support of the terrorist organization and "its ideology of violent jihad", the agency had said.
Information
Conspiracy has been in operation since 2015: NIA
Abdulla motivated another 14 co-conspirators, including another accused Yasmeen Mohammed Zahid, to join the Islamic State and plan for "Hijrah to the Caliphate" announced by the terror organization, NIA said. It added the probe revealed that the conspiracy had been in operation since July 2015.
Funds
Abdulla raised funds for IS; transferred them to Zahid
NIA said Zahid was intercepted at the New Delhi International Airport on 30 Jul'16 when she was trying to leave India for Kabul along with her minor child to join Abdulla in the IS-controlled territory in Afghanistan.
The probe established that Abdulla raised funds for IS and transferred money to Yasmeen, who utilized it for her activities with the intention of supporting Islamic State.