UDINOOR (KASARAGOD): Mohammad Shabeer (40) of Udinoor has stated in a video message sent to his relatives that he has not joined any terrorist organization. The Chandera police have registered a case on the complaint of the brother-in-law regarding the disappearance of Shabeer and his family. When the NIA came to investigate, there were strong rumours he and his family have joined the ISIS.

Four months ago, the family of Shabeer, including his wife and four sons, went to Yemen for religious studies. India has imposed a travel ban to Yemen, but he went via Saudi Arabia. Shabeer says that he is in a famous religious centre called Darul Mustafa in Yemen and he was attracted by the lectures of the religious scholar Habib Umar there and will return soon. Shabeer, his wife and sons have been in Dubai for 10 years. Shabeer is the Dubai Regional Manager and trainer for a business improvement and management consulting firm. The company has offices in Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Bangalore and Kochi. Shabeer's wife also works in Dubai.

He came home for a week's vacation in June. He had contact only with close relatives for four months. In the video message, Shabeer says that since NIA has come, many people are contacting him and he is sending the video to make a clarification.

The NIA officials who reached Padanna the other day spoke to the family members. Their assessment is that there is nothing to worry. Meanwhile, the NIA is probing the departure of two youths from Padanna panchayat, who are employed in Oman and Saudi Arabia, to Yemen. In May 2016, investigative agencies stepped up surveillance in Kasaragod after reports that 17 people left their homes in India and went to Afghanistan's Nangarhar province to join Daesh.