Karnataka: NIA chargesheets two in Al-Hind conspiracy case
BENGALURU: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted two more terrorists in the Karnataka Al-Hind ISIS module case relating to a major terror conspiracy involving targeted killings and other jihadi activities. The accused are Abdul Matheen Taha and Mussavir Hussain Shazib, both residents of Thirthahalli in Shivamogga. They were involved in a larger terror conspiracy of ISIS, and had been absconding until they were arrested on April 12, 2024.
Taha and Shazib were arrested near Kolkata in connection with the Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast near Brookefield in ITPL on March 1, 2024. Shazib was the bomber, while Taha was the mastermind in the cafe blast case.
In its second supplementary chargesheet filed in the conspiracy case RC-04/2020/NIA/DLI, NIA charged them under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. So far, a total of 18 accused were chargesheeted in the case, which NIA took over from Bengaluru City Police on January 23, 2020.
NIA investigations revealed that Abdul Matheen Taha was self-radicalized and had, in turn, radicalized and recruited Mussavir Hussain Shazib and others. In 2018, Taha was introduced to online handler Bhai alias Laptop Bhai, and went on to introduce Bhai to Mehaboob Pasha, who had formed the Al-Hind Trust in collaboration with his family members in Gurappanapalya, Bengaluru. Pasha was also responsible for passing on an online handler link to Khaja Mohideen, who had joined Al Hind Trust along with his associates to promote ISIS terrorist activities in India, according to the NIA press release.
Further, Taha and Shazib had harboured accused Thowfeek and Abdul Shameem, as per NIA investigations. On January 8, 2020, Thowfeek and Abdul Shameem murdered Wilson, Special Sub-Inspector of Tamil Nadu Police, at the Kaliyakavillai check-post at the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, with a pistol provided by Mehaboob Pasha.