On Wednesday night, Arshid Qureshi was arrested by the Kerala Police along with Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad. He alleged to be a member of Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation(IRF) for recruiting Kerala youths for the terror outfit ISIS.
A Police officer said that If his links with IRF are confirmed, this could be the first arrest of a member of televangelist Naik’s organisation, under the scanner since two of the Bangladesh cafe attackers said they were inspired by the preachings of Zakir naik. An IRF spokesperson refused to comment.
Arshid Qureshi was booked after the police raided a flat in Seawoods. Qureshi was produced before a magistrate court of CBD-Belapur on Thursday and remanded in Transit custody for 4 days. Qureshi will be questioned by the Maharashtra ATS and after this he will be handed over to Kerala Police.
Ebin Jacon is the brother of Merin alias Mariam. Mariam is missing along with her husband Bestin Vincent alias Yahia from Kerala. Ebin had told police that there was an attempt to forcibly convert him to Islam and make him join IS.
Ebin Jacob had told Kochi police that Bestin and Qureshi were behind the attempted conversion.
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