Missing Mumbai youths wanted passports: Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has learnt that the three young men who had fled from their Malwani residence in Malad (west) on December 15, were trying to make genuine passports and were to leave for Chennai after that. The ATS is still contemplating if the three youths can be booked for their activities. They also have not given a clean chit to the minor girl from Pune who wanted to join the ISIS. She is being counselled and is showing positive changes, said sources. The ATS is trying to ascertain if the plan was to ultimately join ISIS. However, it is certain that the youths were extensively reading up on ISIS.

One of three youths, Noor Mohammad Shaikh, an auto driver who too had fled from Malwani, returned home on his own on Wednesday. Ayyaz Sultan, a neighbour of the three youths, is suspected to have indoctrinated the three youths — Wazid Shaikh (25), Mohsin Shaikh and Noor. While Wazid was traced and brought back there is no word yet on Mohsin’s whereabouts. But he is said to be in Maharashtra.

Wazid was allowed to go home by ATS and was asked to come back on Thursday. After questioning, he was allowed to return home again. The ATS is also recording the statements of Noor. Both of them were reading extensively about ISIS on WhatsApp groups, Facebook and on the Internet, said sources. It is now ascertained that Ayyaz left the country for Kabul, Afghanistan but his movement ahead of this province is not known and is being ascertained, said an ATS source.

The Asian Age on Thursday had reported that Ayyaz had not gone to Kuwait where he was brought up. After learning that Ayyaz had left his Malwani home on October 30, the ATS found out that he had travelled out of the country.