[ISIS Omar Al Hindi Module Case] “Intention of furthering objectives of ISI”: NIA Court Ernakulam sentences 9th accused

On January 10, 2023, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court in Ernakulam, Kerala, sentenced an ISIS-inspired terrorist to seven years in prison for plotting attacks on various targets, including foreigners in the country.

The NIA court sentenced Muhammad Polakanni to 7 years of Rigorous Imprisonment with a fine under Section 120B (Criminal Conspiracy) of IPC, Sections 18, 18B, 20, 38, and 39 of UA (P) Act.

The Federal Agency’s press release stated that the ‘ISIS Omar Al Hindi Module Case’ involves the conspiracy and subsequent formation of the ISIS/Daish-inspired terrorist module ‘Ansarul Khilafa-KL’ by certain youth from South India in early 2016, with the intention of furthering ISI objectives.

“Accused persons from Kanakamala in Kannur district had assembled, for preparations to carry out terrorist attacks in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, targeting of prominent persons, including Judges, Police Officers, and Politicians as also at places of tourist importance where foreigners, especially Jews, congregate”, the agency’s press release stated.

The Investigation revealed that while abroad, accused Mohammad Polakanni joined the ISIS/Daish-inspired terrorist module and actively conspired to carry out terrorist attacks in South India via social media. He intended to physically join ISIS/Daish in Syria and traveled to Georgia from Saudi Arabia in early 2018.

Polakanni also planned to cross the Georgia-Turkey border and join the Islamic State in Syria. He was nabbed on his arrival from Georgia at IGI International Airport in New Delhi on September 18, 2020. “This conviction brings the total number of accused in this case to nine”, the press release read.

The case was registered suo-motu by the NIA on October 1, 2016.