NIA files charge sheet against 6 IS sympathisers

The agency has filed charge sheet against Mohamed Ashiq A of Coimbatore, Ismail S from Tindivanam, Samsudeen of Pallavaram, Mohammed Salauddin S of Chennai, Jafar Shadik Ali of Vysarapdi and Shahul Hameed from Coimbatore before special court in Chennai.

The Tamil Nadu police had arrested them on September 1 when they had assembled allegedly with the intention of preparing to target leaders of Hindu outfits in Coimbatore. A motorcycle, five machetes and mobile phones were seized from them. The case was later handed over to the NIA, following which the agency re-registered the case last October.

NIA investigation has revealed that the accused were radicalised on the extremist ideology of the proscribed terrorist organisation, and had been propagating it over social media, a press release claimed. These alleged sympathisers had organised into a terrorist gang since June 2018, it added.

In December, sleuths from NIA conducted searches at the residence of the suspects in Chennai, Tindivanam and Coimbatore. In Chennai, the raids were conducted at Pallavaram, Otteri and M K B Nagar. This was part of probe after arrest of  the suspects under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly conspiring to murder two Hindu leaders – Indu Makkal Katchi founder and president Arjun Sampath, and Sakthi Sena leader Anbu Mani.