Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 24: In the first conviction by the NIA court in Islamic State (ISIS) related cases, a woman operative in Kerala was sentenced to seven years in prison for influencing at least 15 youths from the state to join the terror organisation.

The operative, identified as Yasmin Mohammed Zahid, is the only accused to be arrested in the case registered by the National Investigation Agency. Her husband, Abdul Rasheed Abdulla, is charged as the mastermind of the module.

Yasmin, hailing from Bihar, was residing in Kasargod district along with her husband. After Abdulla went to Afghanistan in a bid join the ISIS, she began influencing fundamentalist youths in the region to travel to West Asia and join the "caliphate".

At least 15 men from Kasargod, who left the nation, were recruited to ISIS by Abdulla, via his wife Yasmin, the NIA said.

Yasmin was arrested on July 30, 2016 by the NIA from Delhi's IGI airport, where she was scheduled to board a flight to Kabul along with her minor son.

During the course of trial, the court examined 52 prosecution and three defence witnesses, apart from taking cognizance of the digital evidence submitted by the probing officials.

According to the NIA, most of the 15 youths who travelled to Afghanistan to join ISIS are suspected to be killed in the air raids.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 24, 2018 01:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).