Man moves SC seeking directions to extradite daughter from Afghanistan who joined ISIS

A man from Kerala has approached the Supreme Court for the extradition of his daughter, along with his grandchild, lodged in Afghanistan's jail after she had left India to join the terrorist group ISIS.

He feared that after the exit of the US from Afghanistan, foreign terrorist fighters could be hanged.

The petition filed by VJ Sebastian Francis said necessary action should be taken by authorities concerned to extradite his daughter Sonia Sebastian Ayisha and his granddaughter, who is a seven-year-old.

"Internationally, a lenient approach has been taken against the women foreign terrorist fighters...owing to the stand taken by the countries that women only played ancillary roles and therefore could not pose any significant threat to national security," his plea stated.

He claimed the issue was urgent as many substantial changes politically and administratively were on in Afghanistan, after exit by the US troops.

The plea contended that the Centre was not facilitating extradition of the detenues which was illegal and unconstitutional. It also violated fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.

A case stringent anti-terror law UAPA was registered against Ayisha, after she left India and Interpol had also issued a Red Corner notice against her in March 2017.

The plea said after reaching Afghanistan, Ayisha’s husband was killed in the war.

After his death, the woman and the child had to surrender to the Afghan forces on November 15, 2019, along with some other women, said the plea.

The petitioner claimed that his daughter repented the decision to join ISIS and she wanted to return to India and face a fair trial before a court.

Ayisha had made this statement during an interview with Stratnews Global, which was uploaded as a documentary titled “Khorasan Files: The journey of Indian Islamic State Widows” on YouTube on March 15, last year.

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