Kerala ISIS case: Accused used farming to disguise group’s activities, says NIA

“Rashid also took the initiative for collective farming for the group on a piece of land at Kavumpuram, Mallapuram district, Kerala, to practice living a pure Islamic way of life. At this farm, after farming work, the group used to read religious book, offer prayer, discuss on debated topic like views on Islamic work, views on ISIS ideologies,” read the charge sheet.

Abdul Rashid Abdulla, wanted in connection with the Kerala ISIS case, used collective farming as a disguise to bring together and radicalise young Muslim men who allegedly went on to join ISIS. Abdulla had also voiced his support for the attack on the French magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2015, according to the charge sheet filed by National Investigation Agency.

Abdul Rashid Abdulla, wanted in connection with the Kerala ISIS case, used collective farming as a disguise to bring together and radicalise young Muslim men who allegedly went on to join ISIS. (HT file photo)

The agency claimed that Rashid had been employed with Peace Foundation, Kozhikode, as head of its ‘other cognitive areas’ department since 2012, and that he would criticise democracy during discussions with colleagues. “They also supported the Charlie Hebdo attack in France and Abdul Rashid argued in support of it,” read the charge sheet.

“Rashid also took the initiative for collective farming for the group on a piece of land at Kavumpuram, Mallapuram district, Kerala, to practice living a pure Islamic way of life. At this farm, after farming work, the group used to read religious book, offer prayer, discuss on debated topic like views on Islamic work, views on ISIS ideologies,” read the charge sheet. It was during this period the men hatched a plan to leave India, the agency claimed.