Four suspected of links with IS and Taliban let off after investigation

NEWDELHI: In back-to-back cases of false alarm, four passengers were questioned in a span of 10 days at the Delhi airport on suspicion of having link with Islamic State (ISIS) and Taliban. However, the passengers were all let off after investigation, officials said.

On Saturday afternoon, an Afghan national was whisked away as soon as he landed at Delhi airport from Kabul. He was interrogated by immigration officials along with his co-passenger for over an hour before the Delhi Police took them for another round of joint interrogation by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Special Cell of Delhi Police.

“Around 1pm, the control room had received a call from the police that they have the input of a passenger arriving from Kabul who may be a Taliban or an ISI agent. Another Afghan national, living in CR Park, had called to inform Delhi Police about the passenger. His flight landed at 1.40pm and the passenger had been identified at 2pm by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF),” said a Delhi Police officer, on request of anonymity.

Officials said the man had arrived on Ariana flight FG 311. The two passengers were interrogated by officials from the immigration department.

“At 3.30pm, we took him to the local police station. A joint team interrogated him and scanned his travel details. He was living in south Delhi and has proper documents. Nothing suspicious was found and they were released by the evening,” the officer added.

Another police officer said that the caller, who had informed them, had got to know about it through his friend. “He appears to have genuinely informed the police and it doesn’t look like an attempt to trouble the passenger,” the officer added.

On February 6 also, two passengers coming from Abu Dhabi were detained and questioned for their suspected links with ISIS.

“Both of them were questioned by NIA and IB for 4-5 hours but nothing suspicious was found. They were allowed to go,” a police officer said.