The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday chargesheeted two more accused in the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-inspired Coimbatore car bomb blast case of 2022. With this, 13 accused have so far been chargesheeted in the case.
In the supplementary chargesheet filed by NIA on Wednesday, named Mohammed Azarudeen alias Azar and Mohammed Idris– both residents of Coimbatore– as accused in the terror attack case and charged them under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Explosive Substances Act.
NIA had earlier charge-sheeted a total of 11 persons on April 20 and June 2 last year.
The Case
The case relates to an explosion in front of the ancient Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Thirukovil Temple at Eswaran Kovil Street in Ukkadam, Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore on October 13, 2022.
The blast was through a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), driven by one Jamesha Mubeen who was inspired by hardcore ISIS ideology to commit the horrendous act of terror.
NIA, which had taken up investigations of the case on October 27, 2022, had found that Jamesha Mubeen, along with Mohammed Azarudeen, Umar Faaruq, Sheikh Hidayathullah and Sanofer Ali, had conspired to carry out a series of suicidal terror attacks in Coimbatore city following a conspiracy hatched in the forested area of Sathyamangalam region in Erode district of Tamil Nadu.
The attack was intended to wreak vengeance on the “Kafirs” (non-believers), as stated in one of the self-made confessional videos made by the accused a few days before the attack, NIA said in a statement.
As per the probe agency, Azarudeen, who acted as a pedagogue to the module involved in the attack, was earlier arrested in another NIA case for indoctrination of his followers in ISIS ideology and in connection with the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) module of Sri Lanka, which was responsible for the 2019 Easter Blast attacks.
NIA’s investigation had further revealed that Azarudeen had motivated three other accused who met him in Viyyur HSP while he was in Prison.
“This led to the subsequent Sathyamangalam Conspiracy meeting, resulting in the planning and preparation of the instant terror attack. Accused Umar Faaruq was elected as the Amir to lead the execution,” NIA said.
Further, the probe agency informed that Mohammed Idris, who was part of the module of Azarudeen and was radicalized in ISIS and by ‘bayans’ of accused Zahran Hashim, was tasked with purchasing a used vehicle for the blast and assisting the main accused in the attack.
“The larger aim of the conspiracy was to create terror in the minds of a section of the society by targeting its various branches, including general administration, police, judiciary,” added the statement.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
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