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The now-deported Israeli couple Shneor Zalman and Yaffa Shenoi were in India on a multiple entry visa and were residing at the Rose Street at Fort Kochi in Kerala. Meanwhile, the police and the Intelligence Bureau continue to question the local handler who was helping out the Israeli couple. Vicky Nanjappa reports.
The couple was paying a rent of Rs 50,000 per month which according to the police was higher than the normal rent paid in the area. The duo were questioned, their financial transactions noted and then deported, instead of being arrested, on the grounds that they enjoyed international immunity.
The police however said at first that they were collecting details against the government. Today they have in custody a local handler who was helping the couple gather details and investigations revealed further details of their visit and stay since 2010.
Although Kerala has not witnessed a major terror strike, there has been a lot of intelligence as to how this state has quickly become a breeding ground for Islamic terrorists.
There has been further intelligence to show that the kind of terrorism that is being bred here does not restrict itself only to homegrown operations, but there are instances where youth have been sent outside the country to either wage a battle in Afghanistan or Palestine.
The reports of youth being sent out came to the forefront when the Indian Army ambushed a couple of jihadis in the Kashmir valley, of which a few were from Kerala.
Israel and India face a common threat and what the former believe is that Kerala had become a potential breeding ground for international terrorism, and hence they needed to pick up some data regarding the same.
The Palestine issue has been a talking point during the various meetings that are held by extremists and the 26/11 Mumbai attack showed the manner in which the Israelis were also specifically targetted.
Post 26/11, Israel concluded that their citizens were not very safe in India and there was a good chance of them being targetted once again. The couples' area of focus was mainly Kochi and Malapuram where the number of extremists is higher in ratio.
Sources suspect that such undercover agents could be stationed in other parts of the state as well, and are picking up details regarding such operations. They have hired local agents who help them collect data on the meetings, and also the plans that are being chalked out.
Isrealis are particularly worried about the coastal areas since their citizens live in such areas in large numbers. They now believe that during major terror strikes, their nationals could be singled out and targetted so as to send across a message to those waging a battle against Palestine.
The extremists in Kerala have been playing a very important role in jihad activities and this is the state that has been best connected to modules outside India. Their funding comes in from the Gulf and it is only cadres from here who have been sent in larger numbers for operations other than those based in India.
Malapuram and parts of Kannur have been pinpointed as breeding grounds and this is where there is expected to be a lot of counter intelligence by agents from other nations who fear that their citizens may be targetted in India.
Meanwhile, the police and the Intelligence Bureau continue to question the local handler who was helping out the Israeli couple.