Pakistan national influenced Mumbra man to join ISIS

Investigators monitoring the case believe Tabrez was influenced by one Ali, who they have now found is a Pakistani national from Harnai district

“The hotel is good with excellent facilities and welcoming staff but the food is not good rest everything is awesome (sic).”

Tabrez, a native of Dapoli in Ratnagiri district, lived in Mumbra in a rented house with his brother Saud Noor Mohammad Tambe. (HT photo)

This was perhaps 28-year-old Tabrez Noor Mohammad Tambe’s last public post on social media — when he checked into a Cairo hotel on January 12, 2016 — before he allegedly joined the Islamic State in Libya. Investigators monitoring the case believe Tabrez was influenced by one Ali, who they have now found is a Pakistani national from Harnai district.

That Tabrez had joined the terrorist organisation came to light after his brother Saud Noor Mohammad Tambe approached the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) this week. The brothers are from Ratnagiri and were living in Mumbra.

Read: Mumbra man claims his brother has joined ISIS and is now in Iraq

Tabrez became friends with Ali while working in Saudi Arabia.

ATS sources said the two were in touch even when Tabrez came to Mumbra in 2015 and that Ali met Tabrez’s family and even visited his home in Mumbra.

ATS sources are yet to confirm how Tabrez was influenced. So far, they have found out Tabrez completed schooling at the National High School and Junior College in Ratnagiri, before moving to Mumbai to study chemistry at the Mumbai University. Tabrez was good at academics, played volleyball and took part in science quizzes. He also volunteered for a charitable organisation and did a course on cargo services during his undergraduate study.

Saud told ATS officials that he and his family found out last month that Tabrez had left the country to join the ISIS.