Mumbai: ISIS recruit from Mumbra in Libyan prison?

A youth Tabrez Tambe from Mumbra in Thane district had reportedly joined ISIS last year on the pretext of visiting Egypt and Libya.

A Times of India report now says Tambe was caught by Libyan authorities in December and is in a jail right now. Dr Ramamurthy Kosanam, who was abducted by IS cadres one-and-a-half years ago, says he had seen Tambe in ISIS custody.

Kosanam was rescued from Libya by the Indian mission last month. On returning to the country when he was shown Tambe's picture, he identified him and stated that he was there in a Libyan jail.

Tambe's brother Saud had lodged a complaint regarding Tambe's recruitment to ISIS at Kalachowki unit of the ATS last year.

It was believed that Tambe had joined ISIS with one of his friends Ali, who is from Saudi Arabia. He was in contact with Ali since a few years as both had worked together in Riyadh, Mumbai ATS chief Atul Kulkarni had said.

ATS has registered an offence under sections of 16,18,18 (B), 20,38,39 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

Lok Sabha in November last year was informed that NIA and state security agencies have so far arrested 68 supporters of ISIS in various parts of the country. According to Minister of State for Home, Hansraj Ahir a total of 50 people have been arrested by security agencies during the current year of whom 11 belonged to Maharashtra. ISIS is using various platforms to propagate its ideology and to attract recruits from across the world, he had said.

With PTI inputs