PFI encouraged youth to join LeT, ISIS, Al-Qaeda to establish Islamic rule in India: NIA

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad conduct raids in Navi Mumbai

Popular Front of India (PFI), its office bearers, members and affiliates in Kerala encouraged vulnerable youths to join terrorist organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Daesh and Al-Qaida and also conspired to establish Islamic rule in India by committing a terrorist act, reveals NIA remand copy submitted before a special court in Kerala.

The Central agency also accused the PFI's members and cadres operating from Kerala to conspire to indulge in "unlawful activities by creating enmity between members of different religions and groups, prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, with the intention to disrupt public tranquillity and cause disaffection against India".

The revelations came in an application for judicial remand of the accused Karamana Ashraf Moulavi, national in charge of PFI's Education Wing, and others. The case is being investigated by the NIA's Kochi branch.

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"The brief facts of the case is that the Popular Front of India (PFI), its office bearers, members and affiliates in Kerala have conspired to indulge in Unlawful Activities, by creating enmity between members of different religions and groups, prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, with an intention to disrupt public tranquillity and cause disaffection against India, propagating alternative justice delivery system justifying the use of criminal force causing alarm and fear amongst the general public, encourages vulnerable youths to join terrorist organisation including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daesh and Al-Qaida and also conspired to establish Islamic rule in India by committing a terrorist act as a part of violent jihad," reads the remand copy.

As per NIA, the PFI also spreads "dis-affection against India by wrongful interpretation of government policies to the particular section of people to create hatred against the state and its machineries".

Considering the nature and gravity of the offence, the NIA later mentioned, the Ministry of Home Affairs' Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) division issued an order dated September 16 directing the agency to investigate the matter.

Accordingly, the NIA registered the case at its Kochi branch on September 19 under sections 120B and 153A of IPC, Section 13, 18, 18B, 38 and 39 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against PFI and 13 others namely-- Karamana Ashraf Moulavi, Abdul Sathar (State General Secretary, PFI, Kerala), Sadiq Ahmed (District Secretary, PFI, Pathanamthitta), Shihas (Zonal Secretary, PFI), Ansari P (Joint Convener, PFI, Nadakkal Division), M M Mujeeb (Divisional Convener, PFl Nadackal Erattupetta Division), Najumudeen (Divisional Convener, PFI Mundakkayam), Sainuddeen T S (District Secretary, PFI, Kottayam), P K Usman alias Pallikkaranjalil Kunjippu Usman alias Usman Perumpilavu (Member, NGA, PFI), Yahiya Koya Thangal (State Executive Council member, PFI, Kerala), C A Rauf (State Secretary, Media and PR wings, PFI, Kerala), K Muhammedali alias Kunhappo (National in-charge, Expansion wing, PFI), and CT Sulaiman (District President, PFI Kasaragod).