16 Kerala Muslim youth missing, relatives fear they went to Syria

At least 16 Muslim youth from Kerala’s northern Kasargode district have been missing for the past one month, sparking fear that they might have gone to Syria to join a terrorist outfit such as the Islamic State (IS).

The apprehension has gained ground since a Kerala journalist working in the Gulf state of Qatar joined a Sunni militia last year to fight against the government of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

A relative of one of the missing youth told Hindustan Times that they left the country on June 6 on the pretext of going on a pilgrimage. Their phones are switched off now.

But one of the relatives got a WhatsApp message last week saying they all ‘reached their final destination’.

‘We now fear that they might have reached the conflict zone, either in Syria or Iraq,’ he said.

A doctor, his wife and eight-month-old child are among the missing.

The relatives are meeting Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday afternoon, seeking his help to trace them.

‘All youngsters are from Thrikkaripur and surrounding areas. Initially relatives thought that they would come back but they are mistaken. We will seek the help of state and Union governments to trace them and bring them back,’ said Kasargode MP P Karunakaran.

‘These youngsters, all in their mid-twenties, used to meet regularly at a cultural centre in Thrikkaripur. There were no traces of any radicalisation. We have no idea how they got attracted to extremist ideology,’ another relative said.

Last year, the United Arab Emirates deported four youth from the state for their alleged ties to the Islamic State (IS) group.

‘Youngsters who go abroad are sitting ducks. We are helpless on such occasions. Fearing harassment from law agencies many parents keep mum. We have definite information that at least three dozen NRI youth from the state are off the radar,’ a senior police officer said.