Mumbai:On Wednesday, Mumbai anti-terrorism squad along with Kerala police arrested Arshid Qureshi, supposed to be a member of Zakir Naik 's Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), night for recruiting Kerala youths for the terror outfit Islamic State. If his links with IRF are confirmed, this could be the first arrest of a member of televangelist Naik's organisation, under the scanner since two of the Bangladesh cafe attackers said they were inspired by his preachings. An IRF spokesperson refused to comment.
Qureshi was held after the police raided a flat in Seawoods. He was produced before a magistrate's court in CBD-Belapur on Thursday and remanded in transit custody for four days. He will be questioned by the Maharashtra ATS and later taken to Kerala.
Ebin Jacob (25), the brother of Merin alias Mariam who is missing along with her husband Bestin Vincent alias Yahia from Kerala, had told police that there was an attempt to forcibly convert him to Islam and make him join IS. Ebin had told Kochi police that Bestin and Qureshi were behind the attempted conversion.