<![CDATA[Kerala: The Kerala police and a joint team of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on July 21, Thursday arrested a youth allegedly associated with controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's foundation in connection with a case registered in Kochi. Arshid Qureshi was associated with IRF Foundation of Zakir Naik and was nabbed from Navi Mumbai, a senior official said. Qureshi is accused of recruiting youth from Kerala for the dreaded terror outfit Islamic State, reports say. More than 20 people who have gone missing in the state are suspected of leaving the country to join ISIS. Ebin Jacob, the brother of Merin alias Mariam who went missing from Kerala along with her husband, informed the police that a man along with Qureshi tried to forcibly convert him to Islam, so that he could join the Islamic State. A case under IPC sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 153 A (promoting enmity between groups) as well as under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act was registered in Kochi against Qureshi, a source said. He was produced before the Belapur court in Navi Mumbai which granted Kerala Police his transit remand till July 25. Kerala Police will now produce him in a court in Kochi, the source added. Mumbai-based Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik is under the scanner of investigating agencies after it emerged that some of the Dhaka attackers were inspired by his speeches.]]>
