Jihad speech inspired Maaz --- Terror suspect said Awlaki’s speeches motivated him to join ISIS and he was part of SIO

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Maaz Hassan, one of the three cousins who were apprehended while trying to join extremist groups,

has confessed to the Special Investigation Team of city police that he was motivated towards jihadi terrorism by the speeches of Yemeni English scholar Anwar al- Awlaki. Awlaki was allegedly

a prime motivator behind Al Qaeda recruitments. 

Hassan also mentioned that he was associated with SIO (student Islamic organisation). But when contacted, the SIO unit of Telangana said that Maaz Hassan and his cousin had been expelled from the organisation a few years ago. According to the police, in his confession, Hassan said, “I used to

browse the Internet on my cell phone and normally watch videos on YouTube about ill treatment of

Islamic states, and also used to listen to speeches of Anwar Alwaki of Yemen and got attracted towards Jihad.” He explained how he had earlier wanted to go to Afghanistan via Bangladesh in order to join terror forces. He also confessed that he was determined to join ISIS and fight under the leadership of Abu Bakr al Bhagdadi. “Because of our Jihadi ideology, our parents restricted our movement and kept us under close vigil. But my mindset did not change. Because of our close relationship, Abdul Basith and I would meet regularly and discuss our future plans to go to Syria,

Iraq and Palestine… I am also associated with SIO and attended various programmes convened by SIO at Hyderabad along with my another cousin, Omar Farooq Hussaini, of Chandrayanagutta,” 

Hassan confessed. 

Meanwhile, when contacted, SIO Telangana organising secretary Mr Khaleem Ahmed Khan said, “SIO has been basically formed for  promoting education and career guidance. We are a democratic, lawful, peaceful and Constitution-abiding organization. We don’t believe in non-peaceful 

processes. As our national policy, SIO is against any kind of extremism. We have been telling students not to join any extremist organisations including IS. Maaz Hassan and his cousin were expelled from the organisation three years ago as they failed to follow organisational discipline. 

These people come and go and there is no place for such kind of people in the SIO.”