Kerala woman identifies family members who joined IS

The mother of Nimisha Fatima, who embraced Islam and is suspected to have joined the Islamic State (ISIS) three years ago, on Wednesday (November 27) said she had identified her son-in-law and grand daughter from among those who had surrendered recently in Afghanistan.

Bindu told television channels that the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the case of missing Keralites who are suspected to have joined the Islamic State, had sent her a few photographs of people who had surrendered.

She said she recognised her son-in-law Issah alias Benson Vincent from Palakkad and her grand daughter. “My grand daughter was sitting on the lap of a burqua clad woman. It could be my daughter”, she told reporters.

“I think the woman must be my daughter, Nimisha, who had left home with her husband in 2016 to join the ISIS.” Bindu said she sent the photographs to Gracy, her son- in-laws mother, who also recognised her son.

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“Three days ago NIA officials forwarded some photographs. I saw my son-in-law. His mother also confirmed it was her son”, Bindu, who hails from Attukal, said.
She also said that in June 2018, she had received messages from her daughter, who had sent her grand daughters photographs.

But after November 2018, there was no information, she said. Bindu said it was after three years that she could sleep peacefully on seeing the photographs. Nimisha Fatima and her husband were among the 22 Keralites who were reported missing from Kasaragod and
Palakkad in June 2016 and had reached the bastion of ISIS terror operations in Afghanistan.

The NIA has been probing the case of the missing Keralites.