DECCAN CHRONICLE. | BALA CHAUHAN

 This NIA had registered a case in July 2016 after 15 youths has fled away to ISIS. (Representional Image)

Bengaluru: Kerala may reportedly have been the next destination of suicide attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq & Syria (ISIS) homegrown cadres in the southern state, who were reportedly radicalised by the Sri Lanka suicide bomber Hashim Zafran and fugitive preacher Zakir Naik. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested Riyas A. alias Riyas Aboobacker alias Abu Dujana (29), a resident of Palakkad, Kerala in Kasargod in the ISIS (RC No. 02/2016/NIA/KOC) case for conspiring to execute terrorist attacks in Kerala.

Riyas was reportedly inspired by Hashim and Naik. He was in contact with absconding accused Abdul Rashid Abdulla alias Abu Isa for a long time and has been following his audio clips including the clip, which he had circulated on social media platform instigating others to carry out terrorist attacks in India,” said the NIA spokesperson IGP Alok Mittal. Riyas was in touch with Abdul Khayoom alias Abu Khalid, who was also involved  in Valapattanam ISIS case and is believed to be in Syria.

The NIA had earlier received inputs that a group of four persons has been in contact with Abdul Rashid, Ashfaq Majeed, Abdul Khayoom and others, who had earlier migrated to Afghanistan and Syria. After verification, NIA carried out searches at three places (two in Kasaragod and one in Palakkad). Three group members have been interrogated for their ISIS links and their plans.

This NIA had registered a case in July 2016 after 15 youths has fled away to ISIS. Out of them 14 people went to Afghanistan and one person to Syria so far.