Absconding Jihadi, under arrest

Nazeer aide held, remanded
PNS | Kannur

 A court in Thalassery, Kannur on Saturday night remanded Rahees of Chembilode, Kannur, an aide of LeT’s South India commander Thadiyantavide Nazeer and third accused in a case pertaining to the seizure of explosive substances in 2009, in judicial custody till October 20. The trial in the case is to begin on Monday.

Held in Dubai, Rahees was handed over to the Kerala Police at Mumbai on Saturday. The police, who have sought postponement of the trial, will request the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Thalassery on Monday for getting Rahees in their custody. Nazeer is the first accused in this case in which there are a total of five accused.

According to the police, Nazeer had entrusted Rahees with the task of keeping the ammonium nitrate meant for terror strikes. Rahees hid the explosive substance at Onakkunnu near Chakkarakkallu in Kannur. However, he escaped to Dubai as the police were investigating the case in 2009 after seizure of the explosive substance.

The police had filed the chargesheet in the case in the Thalassery court naming Rahees as third accused and had later declared him an absconder. Officials said that Rahees, held by Dubai Police, was under detention there for a long time and was deported to Mumbai after expiry of the visa period.

Officials said they were examining his extremist relations in detail. They are also examining the reports that Rahees is a close follower of CMA Basheer, terror man from Kerala for whom several international agencies including the CIA have reportedly cast nets.