Amid the national crackdown on the Popular Front of India (PFI) by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and different state police forces, top intelligence sources tell CNN-News18 about the international footprint of the terrorist group.
At least 105 people, including all top PFI leaders, were arrested following raids in at least 100 locations across 13 states on Thursday.
According to intelligence sources, the PFI runs three front organisations — India Fraternity Forum (IFF), Indian Social Forum (ISF) and Rehab Indian Foundation (RIF) — in the Gulf countries. These organisations mask the direct involvement of the PFI in anti-India activities abroad.
IFF and ISF are well-structured in the Middle-East and raise funds for anti-national activities. The IFF has emerged as the most powerful conduit to raise funds for the PFI in the Middle-East, said sources.
IN THE UAE
Religious leaders of the Jamat-E-Islami (JEI), PFI, and its units, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and National Development Front (NDF), from Kerala visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), especially Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
They visit the places of Muslim Brotherhood because of ideology and jihadi tendency, said sources. The Emirates India Fraternity Forum (EIFF) and Indian Cultural Society (ICS) Karnataka Chapter are fronts or chapters of the PFI in Dubai.
IN INDIA
The PFI is into laundering money to India through hawala channels. They also deal with real estate.
Saifu, an individual from Chavakadu area in Kerala, handles the real estate business in Abu Dhabi, said sources. The PFI hires villas and flats at cheaper rates for longer duration and sub-lets them at higher rates after creating partitions in the house.
Another business the PFI indulges in is ‘Rent A Car’, against which they arrange huge investments for four years.
IN SAUDI ARABIA
The ISF and IFF are the fronts of the PFI. They attract Indians during the Haj period on the pretext of providing assistance. The organisations raise huge funds, a major chunk of which is sent to India through hawala and gold smuggling.
Funds are also sent through e-wallets in the name of legal aid and community support.
IN OMAN
The PFI works under the umbrella of Social Forum (SF) in Oman, along with the ISF and IFF.
The Kerala wing of the PFI, NDF, is also working in Oman and the NDF is propagating radical ideology through Tarbia and sent Rs 44 lakh through hawala to the PFI.
They carry out radicalisation activities through the SF, ISF, WFS and WSKA. The fund collection is carried out by Ashfakh Chaikinakath Puayil, a prominent leader of the NDF and PFI. Money is also sent to the Rehab India Foundation directly.
IN KUWAIT
The Kuwait Indian Social Forum (KISF) is active and money comes through its annual subscription. All these funds are mainly to support the Muslim cause. Rich Kuwait employers are radicalised through selective videos of violence or Babri Masjid demolition.
OTHER COUNTRIES
Countries such as Bahrain, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh and Mauritius have PFI footprints. From Mauritius, they have sent almost 500 million for PFI to spread communal hatred in Uttar Pradesh (UP) after the Hathras gang-rape.
In Maldives, Hindus and Christians are trapped in false blasphemy charges and are sent back to India.
After one PFI cadre’s arrest from Lucknow, it was found that the Bangladesh-based group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) is carrying out explosive training in India. The UP special task force (STF) later arrested Ansad Badruddin and Firoz Khan for conspiracy to attack important places in the state. Weapons were also seized.
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