Police confirm death of five IS operatives

Confirmation follows questioning of five suspected IS operatives arrested in Kannur

Shamsad

While the confirmation by the police here of the death of five people from the district in Syria where they went to fight for the Islamic State (IS) over the past few years has strengthened what their relatives and the investigative agencies have known for some time, police officers involved in the investigation of IS-related cases here say that a 100% confirmation is impossible in the absence of a situation in that country that allowed the authorities to access and identify the bodies.

The police have confirmed the death of Shahanad (25) of Chalad, Rishal (30) of Valapattanam, T.V. Shameer (45) of Pappinissery, his son Salman (20), and Muhammad Shajir (25) of Mundery who had gone to Syria to wage jihad. Their photographs were released by the police. The confirmation followed the questioning of five suspected IS operatives arrested here a few days ago and earlier statements from relatives.

“For the police to confirm a death, there should be either a post-mortem report or the death certificate or any other evidence to support it.” Kannur Deputy Superintendent of Police P.P. Sadanandan told

The Hindu . Though such evidence to confirm the death would not be available from a terror State, the police chose to confirm the death of the five people on the strength of statements from the arrested IS operatives and others, including relatives.

While normal confirmation of death with evidence cannot be expected in the case of the reported demise of the five IS fighters from the district, the police here treat their death as nearly confirmed. Except the relatives of Rishal, those of the four others already had access to information about the demise, the police said.

Last month, a WhatsApp voice message sent by Shajir’s wife Hafziya from Syria to his relatives had informed that Shajir became shaheed (martyr). She is believed to be staying in Syria with two small children.