Language barrier: Cops find questioning Haneef tough

Haneef was arrested from Peringathur area of Kannur district in Kerala on Saturday.

Although the Mumbai police made their first arrest in connection with the radicalization of youngsters to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) in Kerala, they haven’t been able to question the accused, Mohammed Haneef. Reason: he speaks only Malayalam and very little Urdu.

Mohammad Haneef outside a court in the city on Sunday.(Arijit Sen/HT PHOTO)

Haneef was arrested from Peringathur area of Kannur district in Kerala on Saturday.

“We took help from the local police in Kerala to conduct a preliminary inquiry and complete the legal formalities during the arrest,” said an official of the Mumbai crime branch.

Sources in the city police said they are likely to take help from a translator to question Haneef.

A police official said Haneef’s questioning is crucial to the case as he radicalized Ashfaque. The police want to ascertain his role in the radicalization of the other youngsters from Kerala, some of whom have left for Syria.

Mumbai police sources said Haneef has lived in Kerala and is not married.

According to the crime branch, Haneef told the Kerala police he never visited Mumbai and denied any role in radicalization of 21 youngsters from Kerala. The police will now put him through sustained interrogation.

Police said they need to get evidence, for which a translator will be necessary so his association with the ISIS and Ashfaque can be decoded in detail.

During his preliminary questioning, Haneef has also denied any connection with Abdul Rashid Abdulla, the fourth accused in the case, who is suspected to be in the ISIS-controlled territory.

“We will verify his call data records to establish the link between the accused and question others who know him,” said an official.

The police have found the accused did not use the social media, but used phone with an internet connection.