30 locations in Tamil Nadu and Telangana were raided by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday in connection with a case involving ISIS recruitment and radicalisation.
These searches were conducted by NIA sleuths at 21 places in Coimbatore, three in Chennai, and one in Tenkasi, all in the Tamil Nadu state. In addition, sources within the agency said that the agency searched five locations in Hyderabad, Telangana.
Following new information regarding an ISIS module that may have ties to the Coimbatore suspects, these searches were carried out at the homes of people connected to the case.
An individual related to the Coimbatore car IED bomb blast that was inspired by ISIS was detained by the NIA earlier this month for his involvement in the 2022 terror assault. Mohammed Azarudeen alias Azar was the name given to him. In this case, he was the thirteenth person to be detained. On October 27, 2022, the NIA took over and re-registered the case.
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 chargesheeted on April 20 this year and five on June 2 thos year. The 12th accused, Mohammed Idris, was arrested on August 2 this year.
