CHENNAI/COIMBATORE: In a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the 2022 car blast case in Coimbatore, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested four more accused on Wednesday, for recruitment to the banned terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS). This takes the total arrests in the case across the state to eight.
The arrested have been identified as Ahmed Ali, Jawahar Sathik, Raja Abdullah alias MAC Raja and Sheik Dawood. They had been allegedly radicalised by Jameel Basha, founder of Madras Arabic College who, along with his associates, were involved in recruiting youth and subtly infusing Salafi-Jihadi ideology, under the guise of imparting Arabic classes in the state, the NIA said.
The arrests followed an investigation into the car explosion on October 23, 2022 near Sangameswarar Temple. Jameesha Mubin, who died in the blast, was found to be an IS sympathiser.
NIA had earlier arrested Basha and his associates Irshath, Syed Abdur Rahman and Mohammed Hussain who were using classrooms and social media for their radicalisation activities, NIA said.
A raid was carried out at the Arabic college in Kuniyamuthur, where investigators allegedly uncovered documents promoting IS ideology.
According to officials, the arrests are part of a broader effort to dismantle radicalisation networks operating in educational institutions across Tamil Nadu. Investigations are ongoing.
NIA said the accused had promoted Khilafat ideology and martyrdom through jihad advocating violence and armed struggle to establish an Islamic state after removing the democratically elected government.
35-year-old man nabbed by NIA team in Dindigul
Dindigul:A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) secured a 35 year old man in Dindigul on Wednesday evening for allegedly posting online messages about ISIS. According to sources, Raja Mohammed (35) was taken from his home in Neikkarapatti to Palani Town Police Station for initial questioning , From there, he has been taken to Coimbatore city. Sources said three years ago, NIA had secured Raja Mohammed for posting content on ISIS and was later released after questioning