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Synopsis

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday i.e. April 20, 2023, filed chargesheet against six people in an explosion that took place at the ancient temple "Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Thirukovil" at Eswaran Kovil Street, Ukkadam, Coimbatore in October 2022.

In the explosion, a vehicle-borne Improvised Explosives Device (V-IED) driven by one Jamesha Mubeen had blown up in front of the temple. Mubeen was killed in the blast.

The NIA Investigations revealed that Mubeen was inspired by ISIS ideology to carry out this attack. He had also taken ‘bayath’ or oath of allegiance to its self-proclaimed Caliph Abu-al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi.

“A pen drive recovered from Mohammed Asarutheen contained video recordings of Jamesha Mubeen, where he had identified himself as a member of Daulat-e-Islamia (or Islamic State). He had spoken extensively on his intention to commit a suicide terror attack against the ‘kafirs’ (non-believers) and to become a martyr. Mubeen was inspired by the bayans (sermons) of Zahran Hashim, a radical Islamic cleric of Sri Lanka, who masterminded the Easter serial suicide bomb attacks in 2019 killing around 260 people. Mubeen wanted to orchestrate a similar kind of attack against the ‘kafirs’ in India”, the press release stated.

The Agency’s investigation stated that handwritten notes were recovered from Mubeen’s residence wherein criticism of the existing democratic system, which is not in tandem with Islamic laws, had been mentioned. It also mentioned of the ‘targets’, including Government Office buildings, District Court, public gathering places like Parks, Railway station, and a few other local Temples.

“Islamic State of Khorasan Province’s online magazine called ‘Voice of Khorasan’ corroborated this in an article titled, ‘A Message to the Inhabitants in the Land Occupied by Cow and Mice Worshipping Filths’ where ISKP took responsibility for the attack held at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu”, the NIA press release stated.

“The article goes on to state that the attack was revenge to uphold the honor of their religion and to establish Allah’s deen and his law upon his land and to terrorize the ‘Kufr’ and its followers with the threat that it was just the beginning”, it added.

Mubeen was aided and assisted by his associates Mohammed Asarutheen, Mohammed Thalha, Firos, Mohammed Riyas, Navas, and Afsar Khan in arranging logistics. Thalha had sourced the Maruti 800 blue color car which was used in the explosion of a vehicle-borne IED. Firos, Riyas, and Navas had loaded the explosives, gas cylinders, etc. in the car making it the potent weapon it became. Asarutheen and Afsar, both cousins of Mubeen had procured, weighed, mixed, and packed the chemical constituents used to manufacture the VBIED used in the attack.

“While the charges for the offences committed by Mubeen are abetted following his death, Mohammed Asarutheen, Mohammed Thalha, Firos, Mohammed Riyas, Navas and Afsar Khan have been charged under various sections such as 34, 120B, 121A, 122, and 153A of IPC, sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Explosives Substances Act and sections 16, 18, 20, 38 and 39 of UA (P) Act”, the press release read.