In Coimbatore blast probe, after Mosque, now forests of Islamic State in Tamil Nadu crop up

New Delhi, Dec 29: After a Mosque coming under focus, now it is the forests in Tamil Nadu which is on the radar of the agencies in connection with the Coimbatore blast case.

The National Investigation Agency said in a statement that the investigation has revealed that the accused persons had entered into a criminal conspiracy in the interior of forested regions of Asanoor and Kadambur areas of Sathyamangalam forest, Erode district in February 2022. The meetings were led by the earlier arrested accused Umar Farooq. Jamesha Mubin, the Coimbatore bomber had taken part in the meeting along with Mohammed Azharuddin ,Sheikh Hidayatullah and Sanofar Ali, where they conspired to prepare for and execute terror acts, the NIA also said.

Mubeen was charred to death on October 23 when he tried carrying out a suicide attack near the Kottai Eswaran temple in Coimbatore's Ukkadam.

The forest connect:

The fact that terrorists linked to the Islamic State have used forests is nothing new. It cropped up in the Mangaluru blast case as well. The NIA had in previous chargesheets made it clear that the Islamic State operatives were scouting for land in the forests to hold conspiracy meetings and impart arms training.

During the probe in the Mangaluru blast case it was found that Mohammad Shariq, the main cause along with another accused, Maaz Muneer had attended a camp in the Karnataka jungles to learn jungle survival skills. The NIA in its 2020 chargesheet had spoken about the forests being used by the Islamic State operatives. The case was called the ISIS Daishwilayah in the Indian forests case.

The NIA chargesheet also mentioned that the Islamic State operatives were in the process of setting up modules in the forests of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The NIA said that there were 20 members part of this module headed by one Mehboob Pasha. The NIA had also said that this was a first of its kind plot.

Pasha along with Tamil Nadu based operative, Khan Moideen and others had planned on visiting Shivanasamudra in Karnataka so that they would identify a place in the jungles and set up a training camp. However this module was busted in the nick of time. During the probe it was learnt that these operatives had already procured bows, arrows, tents, arms, ammunition, ropes, ladders and sleeping bags.

It was also learnt that these operatives had also planned on setting up modules in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri, Kolar, Burdwan and Kodagu. From these jungles they planned on launching systematic attacks soon Hindus and Hindu Temples.

The targeting of Hindus:

From the investigation conducted in the Coimbatore blast, it is quite clear that Mubeen was planning on attacking Hindus. The case was similar in case of the Mangaluru blast.

In its report filed before a Kerala court, the NIA while opposing the bail plea of an Islamic State operative, Mohammad Azharudeen said that he was in close contact with Sri Lanka bomber Zaharan Hashim. The mastermind and suicide bomber from Sri Lanka was also in touch with Mubeen, the probe learnt. Further the NIA spoke about a conversation between these persons where they said that something big has been planned.

The NIA pointed out that Azharudeen was a frequent visitor to the Rayan Mosque in Coimbatore where he would issue Bayans. Courtesy these actions which were in force since 2013, he had managed to radicalise several Muslims and rope them into the Islamic State. The agencies suspect that Mubeen who had accidentally blown himself up near a Hindu Temple in Coimbatore in October may have been a product of the Bayans in the Rayan Mosque.