IS magazine carries article on Kasaragod native killed in suicide attack in Afghanistan

KOZHIKODE: An Naba’a, an Arabic magazine published by the Islamic State (IS), has carried an article on Muhammad Muhsin, a youth from Kasaragod, who was among the suicide attackers who stormed a Gurudwara in Kabul in Afghanistan on March 25, 2020.
More than 25 persons, including Muhsin, were killed in the firing and bomb blast, and IS had claimed responsibility for the attack.It was known at that time itself Muhsin alias Abu Khalid al-Hindi was among the attackers.
Muhsin is the first Malayali to appear in the international publication of the IS. Born at Thrikkarippur in Kasaragod, Muhsin’s family later shifted to Payyannur in Kannur . The article says Muhsin was a very religiously inclined person who performed Haj and lived in Saudi for a while. He studied more about Islam and tried to imbibe the real spirit of the religion, it said.
On his return, he joined an organization, which imparted him physical training. (The organization’s identity is not mentioned). But Muhsin was completely disenchanted with the organisation as it compromised on many un-Islamic things. He wanted to live in perfect Islamic surroundings, the magazine said.Muhsin’s initial intention was to go the IS strongholds in Iraq and Syria but he could not do so due to logistic issues. Finally, he succeeded in reaching ‘Khorasan Vilayat’ (Khorosan province) of the IS in Nangarhar in Afghanistan.
After joining the IS, his wish was to become a Shahid (martyr) by fighting against the Kuffars (unbelievers).
Sources in the security agencies said the article in the line of other similar ones appeared in the IS propaganda materials. They said such articles had appeared earlier in Dabiq, the official magazine of the IS in English. “The aim of articles praising those killed is to keep the morale of the cadres intact and to attract the fence-sitters,” the source said. Muhsin left for Dubai two years ago and from there went to Afghanistan via Iran.