11 suspected IS operatives sent to 7-day NIA custody

A Delhi court on Friday remanded 11 suspected ISIS operatives, who were arrested from across the country for allegedly recruiting and financing people to join the Middle-East terror group, in seven days' National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody.

The accused, who had their faces muffled, were produced before District Judge Amar Nath amid tight security and, according to lawyers who attended the in-camera proceedings, the NIA had sought extension of their custodial interrogation by 10 more days.

The NIA said in its remand application that the accused have disclosed "their involvement in this case about recruiting and financing persons willing to join the Caliphate of ISIS at Syria".

"They were also found to be in communication with some active members through chatting applications 'Signal', 'Trillion' and 'Skype' to motivate them to join ISIS in furtherance of activities of its ideologies, thereby luring youths to join this proscribed terrorist organisation. The identity and role of such associates is being ascertained," NIA said.

Advocate MS Khan, who appeared for nine of the 11 accused, opposed the NIA's plea, contending that their remand application does not disclose as to whom they were in touch with in Syria.

Khan also argued that his clients have been in NIA's custody for the past 10 days and there was no need to extend police custody as the NIA had already quizzed them in connection with the case.

The 11 accused who have been remanded in seven days' NIA custody are Mohd Aleem, Mohd Obaidullah Khan, Nafees Khan, Mohd Shareef Moinuddin Khan, Asif Ali, Najmul Huda, Mudabbir Mushtaq Shaikh, Mohd Abdul Ahad, Suhail Ahmed, Syed Mujahid and Mohd Hussain Khan.