Kalyan youth had a local ISIS contact: NIA

Initial investigations have shed new light on how Areeb Majeed succeeded in reaching Iraq and fighting for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Areeb has confessed to investigators that there was a local contact who provided him the logistics. Till now, the belief was that Areeb was a self-indoctrinated youth and got in contact with ISIS through social networking websites.

How did Areeb get in touch with the local contact?
National Investigation Agency (NIA) sources say Areeb, while reading about ISIS and its cause on Internet, came across one number and called up that number. He expressed his desire to work for the 'cause of Allah' and was allegedly provided a local contact. "We are verifying what Majeed has told during the interrogation about the local contact and are trying to know from him whether there were more Indian youths in Iraq", said an NIA source.

What was the local contact's role?
Areeb told investigators that when he had called the local contact, expressing his desire to fight alongside the ISIS, he was asked to get more youth with him who shared a similar desire. It was after that Areeb approached his friends Fahad Shaikh, Aman Tandel and Shaheem Tanki.

What are the charges against Areeb?
A case under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Section 125 of IPC (waging war against any Asian country which has friendly ties with India) was registered against ISIS, Areeb and other three other youngsters.