Kozhikode: Police on Thursday arrested two more men for recruiting youngsters to the so-called Islamic State network, taking the total arrests to five. Police said Manaf Rahman, 42, and Hamza U.K., 57, of Thalassery, were recruiting people for the last many months. Though all the five were in custody on Wednesday, their arrests delayed for the interrogation to complete. Those arrested earlier were Palliyath Pandaravalappil Abdul Razack, 24, of Mayyil, Kaippakkayil Midhlaj, 26, of Munderi, and Rashid M. V., 23, also of Munderi.
Kannur DySP P.P. Sadanandan told DC that the months-long surveillance of the trio and tracking their mobile phones helped them establish their links. “Both Hamza and Manaf had been on a recruitment drive in Kannur and Kasargod districts,” he said. “They were caught by Turkish security forces while trying to cross the Syrian border and deported.”
They were caught while trying to enter Syria from Iran. Razzack arrived in Iran through Dubai, Midhlaj through Sharjah and Rashid from Malaysia. Hamza was in charge of recruitment from North Kerala. All had links to the Popular Front of India. They were earlier taken into custody and released after the interrogation. The arrests were under Sections 38 (links with an outlawed terrorist organisation) and 39 (abetting terrorist activities) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
