Deported IS terrorist was a disc jockey, never followed Islam

Kasaragod, Sep 17: Riyab-ul-Rehman, one of the youths recently deported from United Arab Emirates to Kerala for his alleged links with so called Islamic State (IS) terror outfit in fact never followed Islam in the past as he was an amateur disc jockey (DJ).

The 24-year-old Kerala youth, against whom a case was registered on Tuesday “for joining the proscribed terrorist organisation,” looked “meticulously groomed” when he visited Kozhikode, his home town, in 2009, say the State police.

Rehman had done most of his schooling in affluent Ras al-Khaima, UAE, where his parents were employed for long. He had a penchant for partying, dancing and Western music.

In 2012, Rehman visited Kozhikode again in a new avtar. He sported a beard, had a cultivated dishevelled look and preferred loose-fitting Afghan style robes. His outlook had also changed. He became taciturn and pretended as religious person.

The police said Rehman had come under the thrall of a “radicalised” Bangladeshi school mate of his in 2012. The UAE believes Rehman’s “mentor” to have been killed in Syria this year.

The “Jihadist tutor” had apparently fed Rehman a diet of IS propaganda videos.

Rehman’s online activity showed he had a liking for IS anthems and poetry that promoted a radicalism. The youth was adept in Arabic, Hindi, Urdu and English.

A man-missing complaint lodged by Rehman’s parents in April alerted the UAE police to his “defection” to IS ranks in Syria.

Local authorities mined Rehman’s online history and stumbled upon the WhatsApp group shared by his school friends. The UAE police have detained them. So far, they have deported eight of Rehman’s friends. At least 45 more of his friends and their families have been listed for deportation, officials said.