Maharashtra IS recruit in NIA custody till Dec 8

A special court here Saturday sent Arif Majeed, who had joined the Islamic State (IS) terror group in Iraq, to NIA custody till Dec 8.

Majeed, 23, hailing from Maharashtra's Kalyan town, reached India by a flight via Turkey Friday. He was immediately whisked away by intelligence officials for interrogation.

Majeed went "missing" in May along with three other Thane youth - Shahim Tanki, Aman Tandel and Fahad Shaikh.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested him late Friday and produced him in the court which remanded him to the probe agency's custody for 10 days.

In May this year, the four youths had left India on the pretext of going on a pilgrimage, but were later reported as 'missing.'

Later, their parents and police learnt that they had reportedly joined the IS forces and were engaged in the war in Syria and Iraq.

Majeed's family Aug 26 learnt from Tanki that Arif had reportedly been killed in the war following which the family conducted the post-funeral rites.

A couple of months ago, the family came to know that Arif had actually been wounded in the war and had managed to escape to Turkey, from where he arrived by a flight to Mumbai around 5.15 am Friday.

The mysterious disappearance of the four youths, their final destination and the subsequent news of the 'death' of Arif had created a sensation in the Indian political and security establishments.

The NIA, which whisked away Arif from Mumbai Airport Friday to an undisclosed location, interrogated him and finally arrested him late in the evening.

Earlier, claiming that the four youngsters had been 'misguided', the families of the four youths had sought help from the central government for their safe return.