NIA arrests Bengaluru ophthalmologist for developing apps for ISIS fighters

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested an ophthalmologist from a medical college in Bengaluru for his alleged links with ISIS operatives.

Reports quoting investigating officers said Abdur Rahman, 28, an employee of MS Ramaiah Medical College was working on a medical app to help terrorists in conflict zones.

He was arrested on Monday (August 17) in connection with the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) case, which is being probed by the NIA. ISKP is an affiliate of ISIS.

The case was initially filed by the special cell of Delhi Police in March after the arrest of Kashmiri couple Jahanzaib Sami and his wife Hina Bashir Beigh, who were allegedly involved in anti-national activities and were in contact with Abdullah Basith, a member of the Abu Dhabi module of ISIS. Basith was arrested in a separate NIA case and is currently in Tihar jail.

“During interrogation, arrested accused Rahman confessed that he was conspiring with accused Sami and other Syria-based ISIS operatives on secure messaging platforms to further ISIS activities. He was in the process of developing a medical application for helping the injured ISIS cadres in the conflict zones and a weaponry-related application for the benefit of ISIS fighters,” NIA spokesperson Sonia Narang told PTI.

According to NIA, Rahman had also visited an ISIS medical camp in Syria in 2014 to treat terrorists and had returned after 10 days.

NIA has seized digital devices, a mobile phone and laptop containing incriminating material after conducting searches at three premises.