Coimbatore blast-accused planning to procure materials for IEDs online: NIA sources

National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials informed on Thursday that the accused Jamesha Mubeen as well as other accused were planning to procure ingredients to produce IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) through e-commerce platforms, writes ETV Bharat's Gautam Debroy.

New Delhi: Investigation conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the Coimbatore bomb blasts has revealed that the accused had been conspiring to procure chemicals and other ingredients for the making of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) from online shopping platforms to indulge in terrorist activities. The NIA already arrested six accused in the case. "The accused had conspired with the deceased Jamesha Mubeen to procure chemicals and other ingredients of IEDs, including a vehicle-borne IED, to commit terrorist acts," a senior NIA official said.

The NIA on Thursday conducted searches at 43 locations in Tamil Nadu's eight districts, including Chennai, Coimbatore, Thiruvallur, Thiruppur, Nilgiris, Chengalpatu, Kanchipuram, Nilgiris and Nagapattinam, and in one location of Kerala's Palakkad district. The case in question is in connection with a bomb blast in a car laden with explosives in front of Kottai Eswaran temple of Coimbatore on October 23.

As per the preliminary investigation, the accused Jamesha Mubeen, after taking an oath in ISIS, was planning to carry out suicide attacks and cause extensive damage to symbols and monuments of a particular community with the intention to strike terror among the section. The case was initially registered as FIR No. 207/2022 on October 23 at the Ukkadam police station in Coimbatore, which was re-registered by NIA on October 27. "During the searches conducted on Thursday, digital devices and incriminating documents were seized from the house of the suspects," the official said.