The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at 30 locations in Tamil Nadu and Telangana on September 16, in an ISIS radicalisation and recruitment case.
NIA’s sleuths carried out these searches at 21 locations in Coimbatore, three in Chennai, and one location in Tenkasi– all in Tamil Nadu. Besides, the agency searched five places in Hyderabad in Telangana, sources in the agency told media.
These searches were conducted at the premises of persons connected to the case following fresh evidence about an ISIS module which could have links to the Coimbatore suspects.
Earlier this month, the NIA had arrested an accused linked with the ISIS-inspired Car IED bomb blast of Coimbatore for his involvement in the 2022 terror attack. He was identified as Mohammed Azarudeen alias Azar. He was the 13th person to be arrested in the case.
The NIA took over and re-registered the case on October 27 in 2022.
The Coimbatore car bomb blast had taken place on October 23 last year in front of an ancient Temple, Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Thirukovil, at Eswaran Kovil Street, Ukkadam, Coimbatore. The Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosives Device (VBIED) was being driven by the deceased accused Jamesha Mubeen.
Mubeen and his associates were inspired by hardcore ISIS ideology to conspire and commit the act of terror after taking ‘bayath’ or allegiance to its self-proclaimed Caliph Abu-Al-Hasan Al-Hashimi Al-Qurashi. As per NIA investigations, the accused had intended to take revenge on the Kafirs (non-believers of Islam) through this terror attack.
NIA has so far filed two chargesheets in the case before the NIA Court, Poonamallee, Chennai. Six accused were chargesheet on April 20 this year and five on June 2 this year. The 12th accused, Mohammed Idris, was arrested on August 2 this year.
(with inputs from ANI)
