Shiv Sena asks Muslims to join fight against ISIS

Mumbai: Days after the latest ISIS video showed Indian jihadis in its ranks warning to avenge purported atrocities on Muslims in India, the Shiv Sena on Monday dubbed the issue as extremely 'serious' and asked the Muslims to come forward in the fight against the dreaded extremist Islamic organization.

In a latest video released by the ISIS, Indian Jihadis, including Thane engineering student Fahad Tanvir Sheikh, has issued a warning and vowed to avenge the demolition of the Babri Mosque and the purported killing of Muslims across the country.

Read: Islamic State propaganda videos can't influence people in India: Rajnath

"Four youth from Maharashtra went to Syria and became commanders there in ISIS. And our boys are now threatening to destroy India. This is a warning bell. We have to take it seriously. The home ministers (both at the Centre and states) talk about alertness, but that won't suffice," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told ANI.

Read: Islamic State promotes Mumbai youth as governor of Indian territories

Four youth from Mumbai's Kalyan - Aarif Majid, Fahad Tanvir Sheikh, Amaan Tandel and Saheem Tanki - had fled to Iraq in May 2014 to join ISIS. Out of these, Aarif Majid is in the NIA custody as he returned from Syria. Shahim Tanki is supposed to have been killed in a bomb attack in Raqqa last year, as claimed by Sheikh in the video.

"Our Muslim brothers should come forward to fight the ISIS. Just by criticizing them on paper won't do. If they (ISIS) speak of raising swords against us then the people of all faiths should take up swords and aptly respond," Raut added.
The ISIS operatives in the video also urge the Muslims in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan region to join their movement to establish an Islamic caliphate.
According to a leading national daily, Fahad Tanvir Sheikh is the only individual conclusively identified in the video.

Reports state that several still-to-be-identified members in the video could be former members of the Indian Mujahideen.

The video also claims that 'cow-worshipping' Hindus are responsible for violence against Muslims in many places, including Mumbai, Gujarat, Assam and Moradabad.

One of the Jihadis, speaking in English, also gave a stern warning to India and said either accept Islam, pay Jiziya (a medieval tax for non-believers of Islam) or be prepared to be slaughtered.

The Jihadis have also launched a tirade against the Indian Muslims for maintaining trade and social relations with the 'infidels'. They have has also criticised the Muslim politicians and clerics for compromising with a purported tyrannical system responsible for massacring Muslims.