TSIT ■ Chennai
As a follow up to the October 23 omb blast in Coimbatore, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted raids at multiple locations, which revealed that radicalised IS supporter Jameesha Mubeen, who was killed in the blast, has been planning to carry out suicidal attacks and to cause extensive damage to a particular religious faith. Investigations revealed that the deceased and six of his arrested associates conspired to procure different chemicals and other ingredients to make IEDs, including a vehicle borne IED to commit sensational terrorist attacks.
In a release posted in its twitter handle, the NIA said searches were conducted at 43 locations in Tamil Nadu in eight districts, including Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruvallur, Tiruppur, the Nilgiris, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram and Nagapattinam and one location in Palakkad district of Kerala. NIA sources said the raids were follow up to the investigations and the information revealed by the six accused arrested in connection with the case, within 24 hrs of the incident by the Coimbatore police.
he case related to a bomb blast in a car laden with explosives in front of Kottai Easwaran Temple in the Coimbatore city at around 0400 hrs on October 23 in the communally sensitive Ukkadam area, reviving the grim reminder of the 1998 serial bomb blasts in which more than 50 people were killed.
According to preliminary investigations, the prime accused Jameesha Mubeen, after taking bayath/oath to ISIS, was planning to carry out suicidal attacks and cause extensive damage to symbols and monuments of a particular religious faith and with an intention to strike terror among a particular section of community. The case was initially registered at Ukkadam Police Station in Coimbatore and re-registered by NIA on October 27 on the recommendations of Chief Minister M.K.Stalin as investigations by the police exposed terror angle into the blast.
During the raids conducted today, digital devices and incriminating documents were seized from the house of suspects. NIA said so far six accused were arrested in this case and they had conspired with Jameesha Mubeen to procure different chemicals and other ingredients for fabrication of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), including an vehicle-borne IED, from online shopping platforms to commit sensational terrorist attacks. Further investigation in the case area in progress.
