The intelligence agencies confirmed that a journalist from Kerala along with his friends joined Islamic State (IS).A journalist working with a daily in Palakkad from Kerala who sought a transfer to west Asia in 2014 before heading for war-torn Syria has reportedly joined the Islamic State (IS) along with his friends.
Intelligence Agencies Reports A Former Journalist From Kerala Joins IS In Syria :
The report came after some sympathizers of IS have been rounded up by the London Police in Syria. It was reported that the journalist contacted IS through social network but he was initially dissuaded by his family members. He sought a transfer when the pressure from his family members increased.
The Central intelligence department has reported to the Home ministry about him more than eight months ago but the information was confirmed at the Director-General of Police’s meet in New Delhi.
The home ministry did not reveal his identity in order to protect his family who were against him joining the terror agency.
Official sources said of the seven Indians who are presently with the IS, two were from Kalyan in Mumbai’s outskirts, and one was an Australia-based Kashmiri. Four others joined the jihadist group from Telangana, Bengaluru, Oman and Singapore.
The social media accounts of him were being tracked by intelligence agencies for some time. Before they could pin him down, he slipped out of Qatar.
A senior police officer suspected he might attract some Indian youth working in the middle east to join IS though we are keeping a close tab on his friends and relatives here.
He is a sociology graduate, fluent in English and learned Arabic while he was in Qatar according to the report given by his family. His colleague said that he is a soft-spoken guy who was very much interested in Muslim politics, addicted to net, and was really good in learning new apps.