Doctors of DEATH! India hunts jihadi physician 'al-Hindi' leading calls for all medics to join ISIS terror groups

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Indian security agencies are searching for information about a doctor, believed to be from the southern state of Kerala, who recently featured in a propaganda video for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Abu Muqatil al-Hindi, who appears to be in his mid-forties, is seen encouraging medical professionals from across the world to join the healthcare services at the ISIS-held zones of Syria in the name of Islamic brotherhood.

Intelligence officials said the last name — in this case, al-Hindi — is commonly given to identify the place of origin of an ISIS recruit.

Abu Muqatil al-Hindi, who appears to be in his mid-forties, is seen encouraging medical professionals from across the world to join the healthcare services with ISIS

They point out to another doctor in the same video, named Abu Yusuf al-Australi who turned out to be Dr Tareq Kamleh from Adelaide (Australia) who joined the terror outfit in 2015.

'We strongly suspect al-Hindi to be at the helm of recruiting jihad-sympathisers from India,' medical professionals to join terrorist group.

In the video clip, al-Hindi gives out details of ISIS healthcare services getting support and volunteers from several parts of the world.

'We have doctors from Australia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia… and that's the few to be named. 

'We have female doctors separately for the females and for the children,' he says.

Al-Hindi describes how the ISIS healthcare service has grown from strength to strength due to continued support from foreign countries as they are able to provide medical services from 30 patients a week.

ISIS claim to have doctors from Australia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia

Last year, 21 men, women and children from Kerala left for Afghanistan via Iran to live in the ISIS-controlled territory

A logo at the bottom of the screen labels the video-makers as Islamic State Health Services while a small ISIS flag waves in the top-left corner of the monitor.

The video shows an operational medical facility with all the modern equipment. 

Other doctors in the video identify themselves with their erstwhile nationalities, like Australia, Egypt and Syria, underlining their case as why Muslim medical professionals should join their ranks.

The footage features doctors in a variety of units, ranging from a special kidney centre to a medical school.

A senior officer said the video presents a rare strategy of ISIS, where instead of taking pride in their brutal actions as earlier they are employing a positive PR campaign to tout their medical successes.

'But make no mistake. They still thrive on hatred for un-Islamic administrations,' the official said.

The video also focuses on civilian victims of the air strikes and the heroics of Raqqa's fighters.

According to information available with Indian authorities, last year, 21 men, women and children from Kerala left for Afghanistan via Iran to live in the ISIS-controlled territory.

Some of them are believed to have been killed in drone attacks.

NIA to file charge sheet against Zakir this week

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik will be charged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) this week for his alleged role in terror funding and money laundering cases in the country, officials said.

The formalities to file the chargesheet against Naik, who left the country in July last year, have been completed and it will be submitted before a special court this week, they said.

The 51-year-old televangelist, who is currently abroad, is being probed under terror and money-laundering charges by the NIA.

He fled from India on July 1, 2016, after terrorists in neighbouring Bangladesh claimed that they were inspired by his speeches.

The NIA had on November 18, 2016, registered a case against Naik at its Mumbai branch under various sections of IPC and UAPA.

His Mumbai-based NGO, Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), has already been declared an unlawful association by the Union Home Ministry.

Naik is said to have acquired citizenship of Saudi Arabia but this has not been confirmed yet.

The controversial preacher has been accused of spreading hatred by his provocative speeches, funding terrorists and laundering several crores of rupees over the years. 

Naik, a doctor-turned-preacher, during his interactions with the Indian media from broad has repeatedly denied all the charges.

Interpol was approached against Naik after a year-long probe during which the NIA gathered evidence on his IRF and Peace TV being used to allegedly promote hatred between different religious groups.

Besides banning his NGO, the central government has taken his TV channel off air. 

The passport of Naik was also been revoked by the Ministry of External Affairs at the request of the NIA earlier this year.

The NIA had thrice issued notices under section 160 of CrPC to Naik, asking him to join the investigation, but he did not appear before it.

Thereafter, on April 21, the additional sessions judge presiding over the NIA special court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

On June 15, the court issued proclamation order seeking Naik’s appearance before it. After Naik failed to comply with these directives, the anti-terror agency requested MEA to revoke his passport.

The Mumbai-based preacher came under the lens of security agencies after terrorists involved in the attack on a Dhaka cafe in July last year claimed they were inspired by his speeches.