Won't support violence in the name of jihad: Mehdi

The CCB police, who are investigating the pro-Islamic State tweets handled by Mehdi Masroor Biswas, a manufacturing executive with ITC, have so far not retrieved any incriminating data from his laptops or mobile phones.

“We have just begun the process to retrieve the data and their analysis. It will take some more time for a clear picture to emerge,” a CCB officer said.

The process of data analysis has not provided anything incriminating about anti-India or pro-IS groups. However, the data analysed so far clearly indicates that Mehdi’s tweets supported the IS cause and its violence.

In some of the tweets, Mehdi has justified violence, establishment of IS state and has even prayed for the success of the ongoing bloodshed. Such tweets certainly inspired his supporters to take up arms, the officer said.

The data also indicated that his 17,000 followers are spread across the world, including a few from Bengaluru. These include journalists working for reputed dailies, magazines and electronic media. There are close to 1.3 lakh tweets.

A clear picture would emerge only after analysing each of those tweets. It would take some more time to decide on the motive of Mehdi, he added.

Friends from all faiths
Mehdi is being quizzed on the CCB premises. He is responding to every question posed by the police.

He has been claiming to be innocent. He said that he loved India and there was no question of indulging in anti-India activities. He also told the police that most of his friends belonged to different religions and that he always followed the policy of secularism and harmony.

He said that he was attracted to IS and its activities and that history was his favourite subject. He just translated the developments in IS and tweeted about the same, Mehdi told the police.

Mehdi felt proud to be a Muslim. “I feel proud to be a Muslim as Islam preaches love, sacrifice, brotherhood and harmony. But I never supported bloodshed or violence in the name of jihad by a few groups,” he told the police.

He had no answer when the police told him that some of his tweets inspired and encouraged youth to take up arms and support the IS.