NIA searches six locations in TN in ISIS Coimbatore module case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches at six places in Tamil Nadu in connection with a probe into the ISIS Coimbatore module case.

The searches were carried out at houses linked to associates of six accused in Coimbatore, in Sivaganga, Tiruchirapalli, Nagapattinam and Toothukudi districts, an official release said.

Two laptops, eight mobile phones, five SIM cards, one memory card, and documents have been seized in the searches. "Seized articles would be subjected to forensic examination. The persons searched are being questioned to verify their association with the charge-sheeted accused persons besides any role in this crime," the press release said.

The agency had in February this year charge-sheeted six people for hatching conspiracy to carry out terror attacks targeting "certain Hindu activities" in Coimbatore to further the objectives of ISIS.

The accused were arrested by police in September 2018 for conducting "preparations, including reconnaissance of targets, for launching such attacks, which would have caused communal disharmony and terror" in Tamil Nadu.

"During the investigation, it was revealed that the accused and their associates were radicalised on the violent extremist ideology of ISIS/ Daish by following the speeches and videos of the Sri Lankan ISIS leader Zahran Hashim over social media platforms," according to NIA.