Dhaka attack probe zeroes in on Zakir Naik
THE STAR
MUMBAI/ NEW DELHI: The probe trail in Dhaka's Gulshan Enclave attack last Friday has led the police to Mumbai, where a radical Islamic preacher was at work on the young killers in Dhaka.
A little known reclusive Islamic Research Foundation or IRF located in the dingy by-lane of central Mumbai's Dongri neighbourhood founded by Islamic scholar Dr Zakir Naik about six years ago is under the scanner of India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other state and Central anti-terrorism networks.
This follows the confession of two suspected Islamic State terrorists, Rohan Imtiaz and Nibran Islam, who attacked Artisan Holey Bakery in Dhaka last week in a daring suicide siege — that they were “inspired” by the radical teachings of Zakir and have been his “staunch” followers on Facebook and on the Peace Television Channel.
On Wednesday, Zakir, however, denied having said “that all Muslims should be terrorists”. Facing backlash for defending Osama bin Laden in one of the speeches, Naik said the video of his speech was doctored.
The NIA and the Anti-Terrorism Squad or ATS have decided to examine and analyse Zakir's discourses to determine whether his foundation was involved in the radicalisation of educated tech-savvy youngsters not only in India but also in the neighbouring countries.
The Central agencies moved into action after Bangladesh agreed to share intelligence and investigation inputs from its side to weed out the terror chain.
Since the rise of Islamic State, the NIA and ATS have rounded up more than 50 young people across the country who were either radicalised or were about to be lured to “jihad” by ominous religious interpretations.
Zakir, who is in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, was known for his regular “peace conferences” in which he “clarified Islamic view points and cleared misconceptions with authentic interpretation of original religious verses.”
However, he had not organised any conference since 2012 because he preferred to broadcast on the Peace TV Network.
The first case of radicalisation came to light two years ago when four unsuspected youths — familiar with technology — disappeared from their homes in Mumbai.
They allegedly fled to Syria without informing their families. Zakir’s involvement in the disappearance was suspected by the police.
Zakir had toured several countries across the continents — although he is banned by United Kingdom and Canada— to deliver lectures on Islamic tenets.
Sources said the testimonies of two Bangladesh youths during interrogation corroborated with an identical statement made by one Hyderabad's Mohammed Ibrahim Yazadani, who was recently arrested by NIA during a raid on alleged IS module in the city.
Yazadani reportedly told NIA that he was “influenced” by Zakir and had even visited Mumbai to participate in a Peace Conferences in 2011.
The anti-terrorism squad of the Maharashtra police intervened on time to stop three youths hailing from the Malawani suburb of Mumbai from sneaking out of the country to join IS in Syria last year.
On being questioned why they wanted to join IS all the three told the police that they had been influenced by the teachings of Zakir.
His foundation claims that 49-year-old Zakir has more than 1,000,000 followers on Facebook.
Peace Network is believed to have a global viewership of 200 million.
Mumbai's clerics of both Shia and Sunni sects have been repeatedly objecting to the “self-proclaimed Islamic teacher's” interpretation of the religious verses.
Several scholars as well as organisations such as Raza Academy have also sought investigation into huge funds at the disposal of Zakir and his Foundation.
Even though NIA finds Zakir and his foundation prima facie responsible for radicalisation of his followers, the Indian government under the present provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) cannot ban him from interpreting Islam.
The Act provides for outlawing organisation and not individual as was seen in case of Indian Mujahideen or its earlier version, the Students Islamic Movement of India.
An amendment to the UAPA is on the cards which will empower anti-terror agencies to seek ban on individuals such as Zakir, sources in the police said. – The Statesman/Asia News Network
