Malayalee engineer who joined ISIS killed in Libya, document did not mention real name; joined organisation in Gulf

KOZHIKODE: The security agencies are trying to confirm the claim of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) that a Malayalee engineer who joined the terrorist organization has been killed in Libya. There is a mention of the Keralite in the ISIS document 'Know your martyrs'. Abu Bakr al-Hindi, a Christian embraced Islam while working in the Gulf. Indian Express reported that he was the first Indian to be killed on the African continent.

Abu Bakr’s real name has not been mentioned in the ISIS document different from other Malayali terrorists killed in Syria and Afghanistan. There is no clue about his other whereabouts except that he is born in a rich Christian family. ISIS said that before going to Gulf he was working in Bengaluru.

Like other Malayalees who joined ISIS, Abu Bakr wished to do hijra (migration) but he had to return to India as his contract with the Gulf company had expired. ISIS asked him to go to Libya where they were strengthening their operations. As he was an engineer and had a Christian name in his passport, he was able to fly easily to Libya. The document said that he died three months after reaching the country, in an operation.

The security agencies have so far not identified Abu Bakr. It is not clear when the incidents mentioned in the document happened. Security experts had warned that ISIS may shift their operations to Africa after the elimination of their strongholds in Syria and Afghanistan. Though many Keralites who had joined ISIS did hijra to Syria and Afghanistan, this is for the first time Libya is coming in the picture.

ISIS had declared formation of Wilayat (province) in Libya in 2014 and many foreign fighters had been dispatched to the country. ISIS claimed that their cadres from Kerala had taken part in many operations in Afghanistan including the attack on Gurudwara in Kabul and a prison in Jalalabad last year.