Ultras arrested were in touch with suspect from Bhatkal

It has now come to light that the 14 terror suspects arrested recently by the NIA were in touch with Sheikh Shafi Armar, another terror suspect hailing from Bhatkal.

Shafi, 30, is said to be the brother of Maulana Abdul Sultan Armar, who had been killed by the Islamic State (IS).

Shafi had been to Dubai 10 years ago and was active as Mohammed Atta, Sameer Khan and Yousuf on social networking sites. Officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) found during their investigation that Shafi used to contact youth through his accounts on these sites and attract them to the Islamic State (IS).

The activities of the Armar brothers came to light during the interrogation of Yasin Bhatkal of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) after his arrest in 2013 and when the Delhi police were investigating, in 2014, the case pertaining to three youths from Rajasthan who had tried to join the IM.

The Armar brothers were said to be close associates of the Bhatkal brothers - Riyaz and Iqbal - the IM founders. Shafi, it is said, has two more brothers. One of them is settled in Dubai. His mother had changed homes taken on rent in the town several times. She went to Dubai six months ago, it is said.

Safan, the other brother of Shafi, runs a cool drinks shop in Bhatkal. He says he has no information about his brothers for 10 years now. Those living in the vicinity of Shafi’s former residence say they know nothing on his whereabouts.