Up to 14-yr imprisonment for terror convicts in Kerala

Six persons found guilty of plotting terror strikes from Kerala were awarded three to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment by the NIA special court in Kochi on Wednesday.

The convicts were held while holding a terror camp at Kanakamala in Kannur district in 2016. The youths were planning terror strikes in Kerala and other south Indian states, targeting foreigners and prominent personalities. The court on Monday found six guilty, while one person was acquitted. The prosecution failed to prove IS links to the convicts. But the court found evidence for the terror activities of the accused.

The key accused in the case, Manseed Mehmood, was sentenced to 14 years, the second accused Swalih Mohammed to ten years, third accused Rashid Ali to seven years, fifth accused Safvan to eight years and three years each to fourth accused N K Ramshad and Moinudeen. All are natives of North Kerala.

The accused in the case were found to have links with many IS operatives, including Subahani Haja Maoideen, a native of Idukki in Kerala, who reportedly returned to India after working with IS camps in Syria.

Keralites suspected

With reports that many IS operatives have surrendered over the last few weeks, many families in Kerala are anxious as over 25 Malayalis had gone out from Kerala to join the IS over the last few years. There were unconfirmed reports of three Malayalis, including two women, among the surrendered.

The presence of Malayalis is based on the pictures of surrendered operatives received by central intelligence agencies. No official communication in this regard was received yet, said state police sources.