Muslim youths in Kerala wearing ISIS T-shirts- what’s the truth

The viral image was taken in Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district in 2014, not in Kerala.

In the context of Sudipto Sen’s movie ‘The Kerala Story’many posts are circulating on social media spreading misconceptions about Kerala. A picture of a few youths wearing a black t-shirt with ISIS written on it is circulating on social media claiming to be from Kerala.

The caption of the image states, “This is a picture from Kerala, local Muzlim youth wearing ISIS t-shirt and posing with the ISIS hand signal that there is only ONE God, THEIR God! And yet, people have the nerve to say that #LoveJihad is myth. #TheKeralaStory is REAL”.

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Fact Check-

A reverse image search on the Google with the viral image led us to a report by The Hindu, dated 4 August, 2014, titled ‘Muslim youths sporting ISIS T-shirts cause a flutter.’

Displaying the viral picture, the report added, “A group of 26 Muslim youths caused a flutter when they posed for a photograph, sporting black T-shirts with the emblem of the ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and al-Shams) in front of a mosque at the coastal town of Thondi in Ramanathapuram district on Eid day.” Ramanathapuram is a district in Tamil Nadu.

We also found another report by Deccan Herald on the incident. It stated that two men were arrested on charges of distributing T-shirts with the emblem of ISIS. Adding, “Police also said 24 youths were let off as they were found to have no connection with any outfit. They “received the T-shirts in good faith”. Some of them had paid Rs 200 for the T-shirt, the police said.”

Later we came across another news report from The Hindu dated 6August, 2014, mentioning that the Ramanathapuram police arrested a Tirupur-based Imam over charges of procuring the T-shirts and printing slogans in support of the ISIS before sending them to the Muslim youths in Thondi who had posed for a group photograph sporting the T-shirts in front of a mosque recently. 

Other media outlets also featured photos of a group of men in ISIS T-shirts in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu. These reports can be seen here and here.

Conclusion-
Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral image to be False. The viral image was taken in Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district in 2014, not in Kerala.