Two men held in Goa do not have terror links: police

Panaji: Two persons, who were arrested after they were found distributing pamphlets about a programme by NGO of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, do not have terror links, Goa police said today.

Abdul Nasir and Iliyaz Ismail were held last night at Dona Paula beach in Goa as they were distributing pamphlets about a programme by Naik’s NGO in Mangalore.

“We have interrogated the two over the night. We have found that they have no terror links. They had come to Dona Paula beach with their family,” Superintendent of Police (North) Umesh Gaonkar told reporters.

Gaonkar said the duo was in possession of the pamphlets canvassing for a convention of Salafi Muslims to be held in Mangalore from January 9-16.

Ismail is a resident of Margao where he has been living for over a decade, while Nasir is his brother-in-law, who is from Kasargod (a village in Kerala), the SP said.

Gaonkar said the Anti-Terrorist Squad, Intelligence Bureau and Special Branch teams interrogated the accused while Margao police was also asked to get details about them.

Police also found the mobile number written on the pamphlets to be genuine.

The writings on the pamphlets seized from the duo were translated and were found to be some anti-ISIS slogans, the SP said.

He said both the men would be produced before a magistrate for their release.