Last Updated: Friday, 26 May 2023, 13:32 GMT

Indian police arrest suspect behind pro-Islamic State tweets

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Publication Date 13 December 2014
Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Indian police arrest suspect behind pro-Islamic State tweets, 13 December 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/54be12ea1c.html [accessed 30 May 2023]
DisclaimerThis is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

December 13, 2014

Police in southern India said on December 13 that they have arrested a man who has admitted to handling a popular Twitter account supporting the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

Mehdi Masroor Biswas, 24, was being questioned by authorities, a Bangalore senior police officer told reporters.

The official said police have no evidence so far that shows Biswas had any direct links to IS militants or any other radical Muslim extremist group.

The Twitter account, @ShamiWitness, had more than 17,000 followers until it was shut down following a report by Britain's Channel 4 News on December 11.

Channel 4 said tweets from @ShamiWitness contained jihadist propaganda as well as information for would-be recruits and messages praising fallen fighters as martyrs.

Bangalore police said they had seized Biswas's phone, computer, and other documents for further investigation.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036

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