Coimbatore ISIS case: NIA raids six locations in Tamil Nadu

New Delhi, Oct 31: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has carried out searches in six locations at Tamil Nadu in connection with the Islamic State Coimbatore case.

The case pertains to the criminal conspiracy hatched by 6 persons and their associates with an intention of further the cause of the ISIS. The NIA learnt that these persons had planned on targeting Hindu activists in Coimbatore.

The accused persons arrested by Tamil Nadu Police in this case in September, 2018 and charge-sheeted by NIA in February, 2019 had conducted preparations, including reconnaissance of targets, for launching such attacks, which would have caused communal disharmony and terror in the State.

Investigation revealed that the charge-sheeted accused persons and their associates were radicalised on the violent extremist ideology of ISIS/ Daish by following the speeches and videos of the Sri Lankan ISIS/ Daish leader Zahran Hashim, over social media platforms.

Now searches have been conducted at the houses of the associates of the charge-sheeted accused persons, at two locations in Coimbatore City besides at one location each in Sivaganga, Tiruchirapalli, Nagapattinam and Toothukudi districts. During searches, two laptops, eight mobile phones, five SIM cards, one SD card and 14 documents have been seized.