NIA arrests 2 for radicalising TN youths, promoting democracy as anti-Islamic

The National Investigation Agency on Sunday arrested two men, associated with the international pan-Islamist organisation Hizb-ut-Tahrir, for allegedly radicalising youngsters in Tamil Nadu.

The arrested men have been identified as Abdul Rehman alias Abdul Rahman and Mujibur Rehman alias Mujibur Rahman Altham Sahib, both from Thanjavur district, a statement issued by the NIA said.

The duo, who were arrested following extensive searches at 10 locations in five districts of the southern state, are members of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir, an international pan-Islamist and fundamentalist organisation that is working to re-establish the Islamic caliphate and enforce the constitution written by the outfit's founder, Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani, the NIA said.

"NIA investigations revealed that they were involved in conducting secret classes to radicalise youth in extremist ideologies, promoting democracy and the Indian Constitution, law and judiciary etc. as anti-Islamic," the statement said.

The trainees were taught that India was now "Darul Kufr" (the land of non-believers) and it was their duty to transform it into "Darul Islam" by establishing an Islamic State in the country by waging a violent jihad, the agency said.

"Today's searches led to the seizure of digital devices (mobile phones, laptops, SIM cards and memory cards) and several incriminating documents, including books and printouts containing the ideology of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Khilafa, Islamic State and proposed Khilafa government and its funding structures etc.," it added.