New Delhi (Sputnik) – Six more youngsters from Kannur district of the southern Indian state of Kerala have joined Daesh in Syria, Kerala police confirmed today. They were associated with the Popular Front of India (PFI) – a controversial Kerela-based Islamist organization under the Indian government’s radar for its alleged links with Daesh. The six youths have been identified as Abdul Qayoom, Abdul Manaf, Shabeer, Suhail, Rizwana, and Safwan.
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Earlier last week, five youths suspected of having links with the Daesh were arrested from the same area and were found to have belonged to the PFI.
"Daesh is a bigger threat not only for Europe but for India as well. Almost 100 people from India also have joined the Daesh in Syria and Iraq. They are not fighters in the Daesh but they are mainly involved in supporting the movement of logistics. I think Daesh understands that the people of India are not capable of joining the ranks of fighters.Therefore they are being used in the logistics department of Daesh. These people are radicalized through the social media,” Lt General (Rtd) Syed Ata Hasnain of the Indian Army told Sputnik.
"Since Daesh is increasing its influence all over the world, it is most likely that India will come under their range. Our intelligence agencies have to remain alert round the clock," he added.
Almost four years ago, on January 13, 2014, the Daesh terror group seized the Syrian Raqqa and shortly thereafter declared it the capital of their "caliphate." Over the next three years, Daesh coordinated its military actions from Raqqa. In recent months, Daesh suffered a series of devastating defeats and lost its main strongholds in Iraq and Syria.
