Kerala Story Affect? PFI activists try to escape to Kuwait, held by NIA at airport

NIA on Sunday arrested a member of the Popular Front of India (PFI),

Thiruvananthapuram | Updated: 08 October, 2023 7:30 pm IST

Thiruvananthapuram:  National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday arrested a member of the Popular Front of India (PFI), the banned terrorist organization from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport today while he was trying to flee the country and planning to move to Kuwait. It’s not clear if the motive was to marry a local and escape on pretext of conversion or terror activity, NIA sources said as they confirmed that the investigation agency was trying to ascertain both angles.

 Kerala

Sulfi Ibrahim, who belongs to Tholicode near Vithura in Thiruvananthapuram district was arrested early Sunday morning. 

 PFI

This action is part of the nationwide crackdown on PFI’s alleged terrorist activities.

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Prior to this arrest, the NIA team, with help of Kerala Police, had conducted a raid at Ibrahim’s residence. 

 

However, Ibrahim had managed to flee from the spot and since then he was under the radar of the investigation agencies.

 

Earlier in August, the NIA conducted raids on several PFI offices due to their involvement in terrorist activities. Six PFI activists from lower ranks were arrested by the agency in cases of Hawala money transactions.

 

Furthermore, the NIA has attached Green Valley Academy in Manjeri, Malappuram district, following the discovery that the PFI had been using the facility to provide arms training, physical training, and engage in other planning related to terrorism for its members. This was followed by raids in Kollam, Palakkad and Kottayam where raids were conducted in business establishments owned by PFI leaders.

 

On September 25, two teams of ED officials accompanied by police and paramilitary personnel conducted raids at 11 locations in the districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram and Wayanad.

 

Searches were conducted at the home of Abdul Latheef, a former state leader of PFI, in Chavakkad in Thrissur district and the residence of Jamal Muhammad, former PFI district president in Ernakulam district.

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The raids are reportedly being conducted to identify the source of funding for terror activities of the banned outfit.

 

The PFI was banned by the central home department on September 28th, 2022 and many of its leaders were arrested from across the country.

 

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