NIA charges Hizb-ut-Tahrir member with promoting ISIS ideology in India

PTI, Oct 6, 2021, 7:56 PM IST

Chennai: The NIA filed a chargesheet before a special court here on Wednesday against a member of the banned radical Islamist group, Hizb-ut- Tahrir (HuT), for allegedly uploading incendiary posts on his Facebook account, and supporting and furthering the ideology of the outlawed Islamic State terrorist organisation, an official said.

Abdullah alias Saravana Kumar (31) from Madurai in Tamil Nadu has been charged under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the official of the premier investigation agency said.

He has been charged for allegedly uploading incendiary posts on his Facebook account, and supporting and furthering the ideology of the ISIS, the official added.

The case was registered in April in Madurai city.

Abdullah was uploading posts on his Facebook account to instigate people to establish “khilafah” and threaten the unity, security and sovereignty of the country, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) official said, adding that he was also seeking cooperation from other countries to set up an army to establish an Islamic State in Tamil Nadu through “jihad” (holy war).

Abdullah is a highly-radicalised member of the HuT, an organisation banned in many countries, and was espousing the fundamentalist ideology of the ISIS, according to the official.

He had knowingly and willingly associated himself with ISIS recruiters with an intention to further propagate and support the activities of the terror outfit, the NIA official said, adding that further investigation in the case continues.

Founded in Jerusalem in 1952 and headquartered in London, the HuT has branches in Central Asia, Europe, South Asia and Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, where it has managed to garner great influence.

In South Asia, the HuT has a significant presence in Pakistan and Bangladesh.