Tabrez Tambe

Ramamurthy K, a doctor from Andhra Pradesh, who was recently rescued and brought back to India from Libya, where he had been abducted by IS militants 18 months back, has identified Mumbra youth Tabrez Tambe as someone he saw in a shelter camp there. A high-ranking ATS officer on Thursday confirmed the development to mid-day.

This is the second confirmation about Tambe's identity. Maharashtra authorities have sent a request to Central authorities to initiate the process to bring back Tambe, who was booked last year along with a Saudi National, Ali Al Shahiri, by the state ATS under UAPA, following information by his family that he had joined IS in Libya.

After Dr Ramamurthy's return, a team of Maharashtra ATS officials paid him a visit and showed him a photo of Tabrez. Dr Ramamurthy confirmed to ATS officials that the photo was of a Mumbai man whom he knew as Abu Noor in a shelter camp in Libya.

Central agencies are believed to have communicated about bringing Tambe back with their counterparts in Libya.