NIA custody of 11 terror suspects extended

A court here on Friday extended by seven days the National Investigation Agency's (NIA's) custody of 11 suspected members of Islamic State (IS) terrorist outfit.

During in-camera proceedings, District Judge Amar Nath allowed NIA to quiz the 11 suspected IS members for another seven days while it remanded four other accused, including Naseer Packers, in two-weeks' judicial custody.

The accused remanded in NIA custody are Asif Ali alias Arman Saani (21), Sayed Mujahid (33), Nazmal Huda, Suhail Ahmed (23), Muhammed Abdul Ahad (46), all from Karnataka; Mohammad Aleem (20) from Lucknow; Mohammed Obedullah Khan (33) and Mohammad Shareef Mounuddin Khan from Hyderabad; Mohammad Hussain Khan (36) and Mudabbir Mushtaq Shaikh from Mumbai, and Mohammed Nafees Khan.

According to sources, the NIA told the court that they were involved in conspiracy and planning with other associates and handlers of IS in order to motivate Indian youths to join the Islamic State and that the identity and role of such associates was being ascertained.

The probe agency said it had recovered plenty of incriminating electronic record from the accused and it was essential to cross-check the version of each accused by interrogating all of them.

The accused are required to be taken for pointing and identification of the scenes of crime and meeting points which are far away from Delhi, said the NIA.

The accused were involved in recruiting and financing those willing to join the global terror outfit and their custodial interrogation would help unearth the larger conspiracy, it said.

The agency said the accused were also encouraging Indian youths to join the IS.

Earlier, the accused, their faces covered, were presented in court amid tight security after expiry of their 11 days' police custody.

The accused remanded in judicial custody are Naseer Packers and Abu Anas (24) from Hyderabad, Mohammed Afzal from Bengaluru, and Imran Khan Pathan from Aurangabad in Maharashtra.

Last month, all 14 suspects were picked up by the NIA in cooperation with the respective state police during raids at 12 locations in six cities.

All of them have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.