Youth ‘defied family’ to recruit for ISIS

A 20-year-old Rizwan Ahmed Ali Nawazuddin, who was allegedly the second-in-command recruiter for ISIS in India after Mudabir Shaikh, had heated arguments with his family after they got to know about his online activities and were asking him to concentrate on his studies, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) sources have said.

However, Nawazuddin never paid heed to their requests and drifted towards the ISIS, the sources said.

Shaikh paid Nawazuddin to help him in spreading ISIS ideology and he was using multiple mobile phones and SIM cards over a period of time, the sources said.

Nawazuddin was picked up from Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh on January 23 by Uttar Pradesh ATS officials.

Nawazuddin is being questioned about his links to Indian Mujahideen, a banned terror outfit. Explaining the modus operandi used by Nawazuddin, an ATS officer said, “Initially some two or three boys from a particular area are targeted. Once they are radicalised, their cell is created. Such small cells were formed at Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.”

Nawazuddin failed in his examinations but continued to pursue his HSC. His family knew about his online activities related to ISIS but had no idea he was a recruiter for ISIS, ATS sources said. Even heated arguments with his family members did not change his loyalty towards the ISIS, they said.

Nawazuddin has three brothers and two sisters. His mother is a housewife while his father works in the revenue department.

Nawazuddin was allegedly in touch with all the youths arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and ATS. He was “co-ordinating and monitoring” the entire operation and reporting to Mudabir Shaikh.

Even at just 20 years of age, he was being seen as number two recruiter for ISIS in India.

Nawazuddin met some of the Malwani youths at least on two occasions in Mumbai including once near Haji Ali dargah. While Shaikh drifted towards the ISIS ideology late in 2013, Nawazuddin began working for ISIS in 2014, sources said. Both met in 2015 through an online portal.

The ATS did not clear if they intended to attack only foreigners or Indians as well. When asked an ATS officer said, “Some materials used for making explosives were found in two states during our crackdown. Their acts violated the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act). Spreading ISIS ideology, gather support, recruit, to find for more persons who can be send to ISIS and making preparations to face any eventuality in India.”

The ATS is investigating the case to find out if the Kalyan module of ISIS where four youngsters had left for Syria has any links to the present module. They are also checking if they are anywhere linked to Maulana Hafij Mujib (26) from Pusad town in Yavatmal who was arrested last year for recruiting youngsters for Al Qaeda.

However, the ATS said that this module is different from the module of Mohammad Sirajuddin an Indian Oil executive who was picked up last year for being an ISIS recruiter. Sirajuddin had managed to indoctrinate a minor girl from Pune who is being de-radicalised.