Islamic State's mouthpiece 'Voice of Khorasan' glorifies operative from Kerala who died fighting in Libya

In its mouthpiece Voice of Khorasan's latest issue, the Islamic State (IS), has glorified an operative from Kerala, India, who died in Libya during a terrorist attack.

Team Newsable

Kerala, First Published Aug 21, 2022, 5:14 PM IST | Last Updated Aug 21, 2022, 5:14 PM IST

In its mouthpiece Voice of Khorasan's latest issue, the Islamic State (IS), has glorified an operative from Kerala, India, who died in Libya during a terrorist attack. According to the article published by ISKP's Al-Azaim Foundation, the terrorist working under the name of Abu Bakr Al-Hindi was a Christian by birth and had embraced Islam while working in the Gulf.

The document further reveals that the Malayali engineer, who was working in Bengaluru before moving to the Gulf, was the first Indian to carry out a suicide bombing mission on African soil.

But the article published in the 12th issue of the Voice of Khorasan does not mention the operative's real name or the year of the attack in Libya. Reports say that intelligence agencies in India have made a note of this revelation and are investigating into the same.

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In 2021, ISIS published a document titled 'Know your martyrs' in which details of Abu Bakr Al-Hindi were provided. Calling the Malayali the first 'Istishhadi' (suicide bomber or 'martyr' in an attack) from India to be killed in Africa, it added that he was born in a wealthy Christian family 'where there are many engineers'.

In last year's document, the outfit claimed that Abu Bakr Al-Hindi was introduced to Islam through a pamphlet handed to him while shopping at a market. They further stated he was shocked to learn Muslims believed in Jesus and sought to understand more about Islam.

"That was the first time he was in a complete Muslim environment," the 2021 document claimed.

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According to the document, the Malayali engineer was radicalised by speeches of Anwar-Awlaki and decided to join the terrorist outfit. His contract with the Gulf company expired post which he had to return to India. ISIS, however, asked him to go to Libya, where its activity was going strong.

"As he was an engineer and his passport had a Christian name, he flew easily to Libya," said the document. Abu Bakr Al-Hindi was killed in operation three months after reaching the country.

Security organisations have not yet identified the person. The dates of the incidents mentioned in the paper remain unknown. Security agencies have warned that ISIS will likely move its operations to Africa as the terrorist outfit loses its strongholds in Afghanistan and Syria.

Although many Keralites who joined the IS made the hijra (migration) to Syria and Afghanistan, this was the first time Libya had been mentioned.

In 2014, ISIS announced the creation of a Wilayat (province) in Libya, and a large number of foreign terrorists were sent there. The outfit also claimed that its Kerala-based cadre had participated in numerous 'Istishhadi' operations in Afghanistan, including the attacks on a prison in Jalalabad and a Gurudwara in Kabul in 2020.

Also read: Islamic State terror group claims responsibility for attack on Gurdwara in Kabul

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