Tech savvy ISIS chief recruiter from K'taka named global terrorist by US

Bengaluru: The US State Department on Thursday has designated Armar alias Yusuf al Hindi alias Anjan Bhai, India's fugitive terrorist from Karnataka as a specially designated global terrorist (SDGT) under Section 1(b) of the Executive Order 13224, which imposes stringent sanctions on foreign nationals involved in terrorist activities that threaten the security of the US and its nationals.

Armar is allegedly the main recruiter of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) - the banned global terrorist organisation. A native of Bhatkal in coastal Karnataka, Armar had fled the country and joined the proscribed terror organisation Indian Mujahideen in Pakistan with IM's co founders - Riyaz and Iqbal Shahbandari alias Bhatkal.

But due to growing differences with the IM leadership on funding and terror strategy Armar joined the ISIS after his elder brother Sultan was killed in Afghanistan while fighting for ISIS.

According to sources Armar is heading a group of Indian jihadists in Raqqa in Syria and is the main recruiter of Indian youth for Junood ul khalifah-e Hind (army of the the Indian caliphate).

He had also headed IM's breakaway faction - Ansar ul Tawhid fil Bilad al Hind (supporters of monotheism in the land of India), which later merged with the ISIS in India.

Armar has been charge-sheeted in three terror cases by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). His brother, mother and wife live in Bhatkal.