Bengaluru: Arrested Shakeel men being grilled for ISIS links

BENGALURU: Following information from central intelligence agencies, the Central Crime Branch police are grilling the three associates of gangster Chhota Shakeel, who were arrested for possible links with the ISIS.

The CCB police arrested Syed Niyamath, Rahman and Safeer Ahmed from Bismillah Nagar near Mico Layout recently, based on a tipoff that they had links with Chhota Shakeel. Later it was learnt that they were also involved in recruiting youngsters to ISIS and other terror organisations.

“The trio is being interrogated for any nexus with ISIS. But they have denied any such links. We received information that they were involved in the Muzaffarnagar riots in Uttar Pradesh in 2013. They are being questioned on various aspects," a senior police official said.

"Their call details are being analysed and it is confirmed that Niyamath was in constant touch with Chhota Shakeel, who is in Dubai. Also, he has received calls from various phone numbers from the Pakistan border region in Gujarat. We are gathering details on their involvement in the murders of two jewellers in Gujarat. But we have not yet come to any conclusion on their involvement with ISIS or any other terror outfit," the official said.

"The trio was supposed to receive a revolver from a person from North Eastern state before November 20. They had planned to assassinate some Hindu leaders in the state. With their arrest, a disaster has been averted," the officer said.

The suspects had murdered Madayyan in 2009 for being in love with a Muslim girl. After they were arrested in 2009, they came in contact with Rashid Malbari, a henchman of Chhota Shakeel, in the jail. Through Malbari, Niyamath reportedly established contact with Chhota Shakeel, the official said.

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