Mumbai youth who helped Areeb Majeed join Islamic State identified

NEW DELHI: In a major development in the probe against Islamic State militant Areeb Majeed, investigators have identified the person who facilitated the travel of the Kalyan-based youth to Iraq after he was convinced to join the terror group.

Presently on the run, the suspect, Abu Bakr Siddiqui, reportedly a resident of Kalyan itself, had arranged Majeed's passport and other travel documents to go with Fahad Shaikh, Shaheem Tanki and Aman Tandel to Iraq on the intervening night of May 24 and 25 last year, disguising them as pilgrims. Majeed was deported from Turkey in November 2014 while Tanki is said to have been killed in an airstrike in Iraq.

Sources told TOI that Abu Bakr Siddiqui was ap proached by Afghani businessman Rehman Daulati to arrange the travel of Majeed and others.

“We have learnt that Siddiqui had met Areeb Majeed and other youths to hand them over the documents. Daulati had fled India in December itself while Siddiqui's travel details are being investigated.There is a possibility that he fled to a gulf country after Areeb Majeed was deported from Turkey ,“ said a senior government official.

When asked whether Siddiqui had any role in the recruitment of Majeed or if he was in touch with IS operatives based in different countries, sources said that aspect is being investigated.

The revelation comes even as a team of officials from ministry of home affairs and National Investigation Agency visited Australia earlier this week and pushed for technical evidence against Areeb Majeed.

The Indian officials met Australian counterparts and requested access to Majeed's chats and emails during his stay in Syria, Iraq, and Turkey and while he was here in India as well. Majeed was using the email ID majeedareeb@ yahoo.com for communicating with IS leaders.

Sources say that Australian officials look positively inclined towards sharing evidence with India amid growing concern there about the activities of the Islamic State and its ability to attract Aussie youth to their cause.