Ansarullah case: Spl NIA court grants 8 days' custody to 16 accused arrested

Special NIA Court in Chennai on Friday granted eight days' custody to the 16 persons who were arrested in connection with Tamil Nadu Ansarullah case for interrogation.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said in its statement, "The accused had collected funds and made preparations to carry out terrorist attacks in India, with the intention of establishing Islamic rule in India. The accused persons have been actively recruiting individuals to strike terror in India and have also been routinely posting videos and other jihadi propaganda material exhorting their supporters to conduct terrorist attacks using various methods including the use of explosives, poison, knives and vehicles, as means of attack."

A case was registered by the NIA on July 9 against 16 accused persons from Tamil Nadu and their associates under sections 120B, 121A and 122 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides sections 17, 18, 18-B, 38 and 39 of UA (P) Act, based on credible information received that the accused persons, owing allegiance to the proscribed terrorist organisations ISIS/Daish, Al Qaeda and SIMI, while being within and beyond India, had conspired and conducted preparations to wage war against the Government of India by forming a terrorist gang Ansarullah.

On July 13, the NIA had arrested nine persons in this case namely Hassan Ali, Harish Mohamed, Mohamed Ibrahim, Meeran Ghani, Rafi Ahamed, Munthasir, Umar Barook and Farook.

Subsequently, on July 15, the NIA arrested seven more accused persons in the case namely Mohamed Sheik Maitheen, Ahamed Azarudhen, Toufiq Ahmed, Mohamed Ibrahim, Mohammed Afzar, Mohideen Seeni Shahul Hameed and Faizal Sharief.

The NIA had carried out four raids in the city and Nagapattinam district of the state on Saturday in a case pertaining to Ansarullah terrorist gang, which had allegedly conspired to wage a war against the Government of India.

The investigation agency had learnt that the accused persons and their associates had collected funds and made preparations to carry out terrorist attacks with the intention of establishing Islamic rule in India.