Karen Aisha Hamidon , named in radicalisation of Indian IS recruits, has been arrested in the Philippines. She gained international notoriety last year (2016) when Indian agencies found that she used Facebook, & WhatsApp groups to recruit ‘ fighters’ from India and other countries.

In a big boost to India’s premier anti-terror agency, National Investigation Agency’s probe into cases of Islamic State operatives of Indian origin, Karen Aisha Hamidon , who stands accused of recruiting Indians on line for the Islamic State (IS), has been arrested in the Philippines.

Two Indian IS operatives deported from Sudan have said they were influenced by Karen.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the Philippines nabbed her two days back from her base in Manila. She has been acting on behalf of the IS on several social media platforms. “IslamQ&A” and “Ummah Affairs”, are her online groups, where IS members shared Caliphate’s ideology and jihadi material and expressed a desire to travel to the IS territory.

Some of the Indian IS operatives, who were in touch with Karen reportedly came from Mumbai, Tiruchirappalli, Hyderabad, Srinagar, Sopore, Kanpur, Kolkata and Jaipur.

Hamidon has been running two very large-run online recruitment groups, where IS members shared Caliphate’s ideology.

Widow of Philippines-based terrorist leader Mohammad Jafaar Maquid, Hamidon gained international notoriety last year when Indian agencies found that she used Facebook, Telegram channels and WhatsApp groups to recruit ‘foreign fighters’ from India and other countries.

Since then, she is wanted by intelligence agencies of over a dozen countries.

NIA had sent a letter rogatory last year to Philippines seeking details and evidence on Karen. In its request, NIA had provided her address in Diego Shilang village in Taguig City, Metro Manila, along with her phone numbers and her identity as Karen Aisha Al-Muslimah with her ID as @KarenAishaHamidon.

Two Indian IS operatives – including an Indian Oil Corporation manager Mohammad Sirajuddin, arrested from Jaipur, and 23- year-old computer engineer from Tamil Nadu Mohammad Naseer, deported from Sudan — had claimed they were influenced by Karen, according to a Times of India report.

Some of the Indian IS operatives, who were in touch with Karen reportedly came from Mumbai, Tiruchirappalli, Hyderabad, Srinagar, Sopore, Kanpur, Kolkata and Jaipur.

NIA had even named her in two of its chargesheets last year. She reportedly influenced many Indians through Facebook, Telegram channels and WhatsApp groups meant for IS supporters in countries like the US, the UK, India, the UAE, Argentina, Australia, and Bangladesh.