'Islamic State recruit', who studied in US, arrested in Hyderabad

A 32-year-old US-returned engineering graduate was arrested in Hyderabad when he was allegedly on his way to Dubai to join the Middle East terror group Islamic State, the Cyberabad police claimed on Friday.

They said Hyderabad resident Salman Mohiuddin was allegedly planning to go to Syria via Turkey to join the IS.

"During his stay in the USA, he met a lady called Nicky Joseph alias Nicky alias Nicole alias Ayesha, a British national and a neo-Muslim based in Dubai with a fundamentalist leaning towards Islam," the press release issued by the police said.

"In 2014, after the establishment of the Caliphate in Iraq and Syria, Salman and Nicky began taking interest in developmental activities of the Islamic State," the release said. "They created various Facebook groups under pseudonyms and began attracting people interested in the IS," the release said.

Salman returned to India in the last week of October, 2014 after he was denied a US visa. During his stay in Hyderabad, he tried to attract youth across the country using social media, the release said.

"Further, he intended to undergo training in Syria and return to indulge in anti-national activities in the country," the release said. He has been arrested under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) and Information Technology Act.

Image: An ISI fighter holds an flag and a weapon on a street in Mosul, Iraq. Photograph: Reuters