Hyderabad: The five terror suspects arrested in Hyderabad by the National Investigation Agency for their links to Islamic State had “pledged allegiance” to Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, the chief of the militant group, investigating officials said. The group is believed to have told the NIA during their interrogation that their handler Shafi Armar had said he would relay their message to Baghdadi, according to officials.

Of the 11 detained after raids by the NIA on Wednesday, five were arrested and sent to 12-day police custody. This includes the leader of the group Ibrahim Yazdani, who had tried to go to Syria to become an Islamic State fighter, media reports quan NIA officer said.

The other accused are Ibrahim’s brother Iliyas, Rizwan Mohammed, and Habeeb and Fahad, who are “related by matrimony”, the agency said. The handler allegedly communicated with Ibrahim, who then directed others, NIA said in a statement. Fahad was the bomb maker in the group, whereas Rizwan and Habeeb gathered weapons and explosives.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday said his party will provide legal aid to the suspects. He said he directed a senior lawyer to help the accused after their families met him and claimed they were innocent. “Tomorrow, if these boys are found not guilty, who will return their life to them?” the AIMIM leader said, emphasising that his party does not support terrorism. Owaisi also wants in writing that the NIA officers behind the raid will be suspended if the youths are found innocent.

The counsel for the accused has appealed to a local court in Nampally, Hyderabad, seeking directions to the NIA to not use “third-degree methods” while interrogating the youths, dna reported. MA Azeem said, “In today’s hearing, wherein NIA had moved court to ask for my clients’ custody, we requested the honourable judge for three things – first being that my clients undergo proper medical check-ups; second, they have access to their lawyer, and lastly, NIA investigators should not use third-degree methods to question any of the accused men.”

Meanwhile, BJP’s Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh Rathode demanded cancellation of Asaduddin Owaisi’s Lok Sabha membership as he openly supported the arrested IS terrorists and offered them legal aid. Their counsel has sought directions to the agency to not use ‘third-degree methods’ during questioning.