Terror Groups in Kerala Resorting to Religious Conversion for Furthering Militant Activities

published on November 9, 2014

Reports of youths being involved in criminal cases being converted religiously and used for terror activities, are now said to have resurfaced. Inveader estigations on this front are being initiated by Intelligence wing. Reports have also come in, of Aneesh, a notorious gunda leader in Maradu and his accomplices having accepted Islam.

Reports state that Aneesh, a notorious criminal who is serving a prison term in Madhurai, is now known as Mohammed. Three of his accomplices are also said to have converted to Islam. It is almost confirmed that the proscribed organization SIMI is behind these activities. The group is said to have given assurance to Aneesh about getting the cases he has been involved in, sorted out legally, along with protection. Aneesh is also said to have been visited by terror leaders, who are on the IB radar.

Aneesh was a member of a gunda gang headed by Bhai Naseer, in Maradu. Later he cut off from the group, following difference of opinion and formed his own gang.

A similar instance is said to have taken place 6 years ago, when a youth named Raymon was converted to Islam and used by Lashkar-e-Toiba for furthering their militant agenda. Raymon was a known gunda,whose activities were centered around Thammanam. Following his conversion to Islam, he was given a fake identity card with the name Mohammed Yasin. He was killed in an encounter with the Indian Army, in 2008. Raymon was converted by Lashkar’s South Indian commander Thadiyantevide Naseer and taken to Kashmir.

Intelligence reports state that conversion activities for terror network activities are quite rampant in Kochi. Madhurai is yet another of the hot-spots for planning terror activities. Prior to this, Coimbatore was a preferred centre for anti-nationals. However, it is said that a steep rise in cases related to these activities, there has been a shift to Madhurai.