Coimbatore: With 75 kg explosives in store, radical Islamists planned a catastrophe against Hindus

Looking at the material that has been recovered and the digital evidence, it suggests that these radical Islamist elements were in the process of carrying out more blasts, and prima facie it appears that their primary target was the Hindu community.

New Delhi, Oct 27: It was a close shave on Sunday when a suspected suicide bomber in Coimbatore died near a temple when the cylinder he was carrying in his car exploded.

While the police was tight-lipped about the motive at first, it has gone on to slap relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and more importantly the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA in the case. This has in turn prompted the Tamil Nadu government to recommend a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Since the time of the incident, the police have conducted raids, searches at several locations, during which 75 kg of explosive material have been recovered from the residences of Jameesha Mubin and others. Mubin the prime accused was in the car in which the cylinder exploded near the 'Kottai Eshwaran Temple'.

Sources tell OneIndia that the police have also recovered black powder, potassium nitrate, aluminium powder, charcoal and sulfur, all of which is used to prepare bombs.

All the evidence gathered so far indicate that this could have been a case of suicide bombing. Further looking at the material that has been recovered and the digital evidence, it suggests that these radical Islamist elements were in the process of carrying out more blasts. Officials explain that prima facie it appears that their primary targets were the Hindu community.

The police have so far arrested Mohammad Dhalha (25), Mohammad Azarudheen (25), Mohammad Riyaz (27), Feroz Ismail (27), and Mohammad Navaz Ismail (27), of GM Nagar from Coimbatore district.

An Intelligence Bureau official explains that the timing of the incident is interesting. Coimbatore, which is known for rabid Islamist elements, had been planning something big to avenge the ban on the Popular Front of India.

The investigators have also found documents from Mubin's home in which several spots were mentioned which they had planned on carrying out a recce. The Victoria Hall Railway Station, Racecourse were among some of the places they had planned to reduce. This itself indicates that these elements were planning a series of attacks to avenge the ban on the PFI. The PFI has had a very strong presence in the region. In addition to this, several groups such as the Al Ummah, which carried out the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts and the Base Movement have their presence in this region as well as other parts of Tamil Nadu. Currently they all operate under or as the Islamic State owing to a ditto ideology.

DGP Sylendra Babu said that during the searches at Mubin's home in the Kottaimedu area in Ukkadam, they recovered potassium nitrate, aluminium, and sulfur, which are used to make crude bombs. "We have also recovered nails and ball bearing from the spot where the explosion happened," he said.

Another official says that Mubin was always under the radar of the agencies. He had been interrogated by the NIA as he was alleged to be in touch with Zahran Hashim, the mastermind of the Easter or Sri Lanka serial blasts.