ISIS network in Shivamogga–Mangaluru: NIA court sentences Arafath Ali to 6 years rigorous imprisonment

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Apr 22, 2026: Arafath Ali, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for allegedly conspiring with ISIS terrorists in Shivamogga to carry out destructive activities, has been sentenced to six years of rigorous imprisonment by a special NIA court.

In connection with the case, two other accused — Maaz Muneer Ahmed and Syed Yaseen — were earlier sentenced to six years in November 2025. Maaz Muneer, an engineering student, had also been accused in a 2020 case of writing pro-Lashkar wall graffiti in Kadri, Mangaluru, along with associate Mohammed Shareeq. Subsequent NIA investigations revealed that the group had established a significant ISIS network in Shivamogga.

Arafath Ali, a native of Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district, had fled abroad via West Bengal in 2020 and remained absconding. From overseas, he allegedly provided financial support to recruit youth into ISIS activities in Shivamogga and Mangaluru. Funds were transferred through cryptocurrency, which were later converted into local currency by Maaz Muneer, Shareeq, and others for terror-related operations.

The ISIS network came to light after the NIA took over the investigation in 2022. Mohammed Shareeq, who had earlier been arrested along with Maaz Muneer and later went absconding, was rearrested on November 19, 2022, following a cooker bomb blast in Mangaluru. Investigations revealed that both Arafath Ali and Abdul Mateen Taha had been funding these activities.

Arafath Ali was apprehended by police at Delhi airport in September 2023 after arriving from Kenya. The NIA charge sheet stated that he was an active member of the Syria-based ISIS organization and played a key role in expanding its network in India, particularly in Shivamogga and Bengaluru, by radicalizing and recruiting youth.

In total, the NIA has arrested 12 individuals in Karnataka in connection with the case, of whom three have now been convicted and sentenced.