Thiruvananthapuram IS case catches NIA interest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The partner of the United Kingdom-based woman, accused of indoctrinating her teenage son to join the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organisation, is the brother of a convict in the Kanakamala IS module case, police said. This has evoked NIAs interest and the national agency is now closely monitoring developments, they said. Sideeq, brother of the womans partner Ansar, had served three years in prison and was released early this year, police said. It was Sideeq, who got the boy admitted in an orphanage near Attingal upon his arrival from the UK. Though the boy did not mention Sideeqs role in the alleged offence which took place in the UK, police said the involvement of the man has aroused their interest in the case, and has caught the attention of the NIA. The Venjaramoodu police had registered a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) on the basis of the boys complaint. As per the FIR, the boy gave a statement that Ansar showed him IS propaganda videos, including violent killings, and tried to groom him to join the terror group. The woman, who hailed from Nedumangad, had married the boys biological father, who hailed from a Muslim family in Pandalam. She was a Christian who converted to Islam after the marriage. They later moved to the UK. Ansar blackmailed boy, states FIR Their marriage hit a rough patch after Ansar entered their lives. Reportedly a family friend, Ansar soon got close to the woman. The statement given to the cops by the boy said his father did not like the proximity his mother had with Ansar, and parted ways with her. Ansar played ISIS-related songs to motivate him to join the group. His mother too endorsed Ansars view. When his parents were away, Ansar took the boy to a group of men, who spoke Arabic and were referring to guns and funeral prayer. Ansar gave him cigarettes and encouraged him to smoke. Later, Ansar threatened the boy that he would tell his parents about his smoking habits if he revealed to them about the videos, the FIR said. The boy is very close to his father and he told the cops that he wants to move back to the UK to join him. His mother, who is now in the state, told the cops that the boy was sent back to Kerala as he used to misbehave with his younger sister.