Mudabbir Shaikh’s wife knew about radical links

It has emerged the wife and father-in-law of suspected ISIS terrorist Mudabbir M. Shaikh, had an inkling about his association with some radical group.

Shaikh’s wife Uzma had even implored him to leave the group for her and their daughters’ well-being and he had responded positively to the demand. This was revealed by his father-in-law Ahmed Miyan who admitted on Saturday that Shaikh had then stopped using the computer. Shaikh is under remand for three days of NIA.

“I was happy to get my daughter married to Shaikh, as he was a well-educated engineer. My daughter was aware that Shaikh was constantly in front of the computer and involved in many activities. She had asked him many times what he was upto and he had told her about his Islamic group and its activities. Following which I tried to brainwash Shaikh to leave the group and do some fruitful job, but then he stopped talking to me. My daughter says that a month ago, Shaikh had assured her that he would stop meeting the group and would find some work. He even stopped surfing on Internet. He is a gentlemen and he is not involved in anything now,” said Mr Ahmed Miyan.

“My daughter fears for my granddaughters’ future. She told me twice that she wants to move somewhere else,” he added.

After the arrest of Mumbra man Shaikh, his family members are planning to change their residence to avoid public scrutiny. His father in-law said that Shaikh hardly even spoke on the phone, nor did he invite friends home. He said they would encourage Shaikh to go out, and make friends, but he was against it.

Shaikh’s neighbours are shocked after his arrest. Authorities at the school where Shaikh’s daughter studies said he never attended school meetings and only the girl’s mother came to school.

Meanwhile, around 25 college and school students from Mumbra protested against ISIS outside the station. Marzia Ashraf Pathan (19) said, “This protest is to tell other youths in our vicinity that the steps taken by Shaikh is not good. Our religion doesn’t teach us to do any wrong. We have decided to protest against ISIS whenever it’s necessary. We were shocked to hear the man is from Mumbra. ”