Abdul Rashid of Padanna in Kasargod has taken over the responsibility of coordinating the IS operations in Kerala after Shajir Abdullah of Kozhikode was killed in the US attack in Afghanistan.

This was revealed by Basil Shihab of Alappuzha who has been detained by National Investigation Agency (NIA) for suspected IS activities in the State. Basil was detained along with two others in Coimbatore recently.

Abdul Rashid planned to recruit several members from Kerala in the IS, he revealed.

The banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activists were being targeted to join the IS. The NIA has got information about the visit of separatist Kashmir leaders to Kerala.

Geelani, who was absolved in the 2001 Parliament attack case, had received treatment at a private hospital in Kondotty and also stayed in Alappuzha with the help of an organisation. The NIA is investigating the operations of this organisation whose six members are in NIA custody. The organisation was also behind conversion of people to Islam, NIA sources said.

At a time when the NIA was thinking of uprooting IS operations in Kerala by unearthing its module meetings at Kanakamala in Kannur early this year, the arrest of three suspected IS operatives a few days back has thrown up more challenges.

The arrest of Kannur native Shahjahan during his attempt to escape to Syria with a fake passport helped in getting information about IS sleeper units in the State.

The seizure of CDs from Basil of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik seems to be attracting more youth to the IS fold.