Zakir Naik’s NGO Awarded Rs 80,000 Scholarship to ISIS Suspect

Anas had planned to go to Syria to fight with the ISIS around the time he got the scholarship, NIA said.

Zakir Naik’s NGO has been under the government scanner since the Dhaka terror attack. (Photo: The Quint)

The NIA carried out raids at 20 premises owned by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, his NGO and a few associates for the third consecutive day on Tuesday.

On Monday, the NIA had blocked the website of the now-outlawed Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) founded by him.

The raids revealed that Abu Anas, who was allegedly linked to ISIS and was arrested by the NIA in January 2016, had received a scholarship of Rs 80,000 from the IRF in October 2015. Anas had planned to go to Syria to fight with the ISIS in the same period, NIA said.

The probe has also revealed that the IRF has close connections with Harmony Media, Longlast Constructions, Right Property Solutions, Majestic Perfumes and Alpha Lubricants.

Video tapes and DVDs of Naik’s public speeches, documents related to his properties and investments, financial transactions, foreign and domestic funding of the proscribed IRF and its associated companies were recovered in the searches.

The anti-terror investigation agency is also set to summon Naik, who is abroad ever since his name was linked to the 1 July Dhaka terror attack suspects.

Search operations were carried out by the National Investigation Agency at the offices of the IRF, other premises of Naik as well as that of Harmony Media Pvt Ltd, where programmes for Naik’s channel Peace TV were produced.

The NIA also blocked the website of the IRF, which was allegedly promoting Naik’s "hate speeches".

Also Read: Zakir Naik Extolled Osama Bin Laden’s Views: MHA Justifies IRF Ban

"As part of the investigation, all action that need to be taken against a proscribed organisation, including banning of its online activities, are being undertaken," an NIA spokesperson told PTI.

Last week, the central government banned the IRF and declared it a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

If the Islamic preacher fails to respond to the NIA summons, the probe agecny will aprroach Interpol for issuing a red corner notice against Naik.

The NIA is still trying to block Naik’s Facebook page, Twitter account and YouTube videos that contain alleged “objectionable” material and may seek help from authorities in the US, where the servers of internet giants like Google and Yahoo are located, officials said.

The agency is expected to examine cases relating to 50 individuals who were allegedly drawn to extremism after listening to Naik's sermons.

Naik has been booked along with unnamed IRF officials under section 153-A of the IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), beside various sections of the UAPA.

The NIA had on 19 November carried out searches at 10 premises of the IRF in Mumbai after registering a case against Naik and others under the anti-terror law.

Also Read: NIA Files Case Against Zakir Naik, Raids 12 Centres of His NGO