Kerala cops arrest youth with links to Zakir Naik for recruiting men for ISIS

Arshid Qureshi is accused of trying to forcibly convert a man to Islam for joining the Islamic State.

Mumbai

: A joint team of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad and Kerala Police on Thursday arrested a youth allegedly associated with controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's foundation in connection with a case registered in Kochi.

A senior police official said Arshid Qureshi, who was associated with IRF Foundation of Zakir Naik, was nabbed from Navi Mumbai.

According to reports, Qureshi is accused of recruiting youth from Kerala for the dreaded terror outfit Islamic State. More than 20 people who have gone missing in the state are suspected of leaving the country to join ISIS.

Ebin Jacob, the brother of Merin alias Mariam who went missing from Kerala along with her husband, informed the police that a man along with Qureshi tried to forcibly convert him to Islam, so that he could join the Islamic State.

A case under IPC sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 153 A (promoting enmity between groups) as well as under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act was registered in Kochi against Qureshi.

He was produced before the Belapur court in Navi Mumbai which granted Kerala Police his transit remand till July 25. Kerala Police will now produce him in a court in Kochi.

Mumbai-based Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik is under the scanner of probe agencies after it emerged that some of the Dhaka attackers were inspired by his speeches.