Man from Zakir Naik’s foundation held for ISIS links

MUMBAI: A public relations manager working for controversial televangelist Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation was arrested from Nerul on Thursday for allegedly

MUMBAI: A public relations manager working for controversial televangelist Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation was arrested from Nerul on Thursday for allegedly radicalising a couple from Kerala and recruiting them with the Islamic State.

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A team of Kerala police and the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested 45-year-old Arshid Asif Qureshi under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Arshid’s name surfaced when the Palarivottam police station in Kochi registered a complaint against Yahya, alias Bestin Vincent, a Christian from Palakkad who converted to Islam and is believed to have joined the ISIS, after he went missing from Kochi with his wife Merin Jacob, alias Mariyam.

The complaint was registered by Merin’s brother Ebin Jacob.

Police sources said Qureshi was the public relations manager when Naik had held a massive public conference in 2009 and that he was responsible for all the coordination. Ebin’s complaint says theirs is a Christian family from Edapally in Kochi. His sister had met Yahya while working in Mumbai in 2015, and eventually the two got married. Soon, Yahya and Qureshi allegedly influenced Merin, radicalised her and converted her to Islam, Kerala police sources investigating the case said.

Ebin told the police Yahya and Qureshi had even tried to compel him to convert to Islam.

Earlier, Merin’s parents had alleged both Yahya and Merin had met Naik in Mumbai, and it was through him that they were radicalised.

The team of the Kerala police produced Qureshi before a local court in Navi Mumbai and have taken a transit remand. He will be produced before a competent court in Kochi.