The National Investigation Agency (NIA) took significant steps in the investigation of the 2022 Coimbatore car bomb blast, chargesheeting two additional accused associated with the ISIS-inspired attack. The supplementary chargesheet, filed on Wednesday, named Mohammed Azarudeen, alias Azar, and Mohammed Idris, both residents of Coimbatore, as key figures in the terror plot. Charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and Explosive Substances Act, these additions bring the total number of accused to 13. NIA had previously charged 11 individuals on April 20 and June 2 last year.
Case background
The incident, occurring on October 13, 2022, involved an explosion in front of the historic Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Thirukovil Temple at Eswaran Kovil Street in Ukkadam, Coimbatore. The attack, executed through a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), was driven by Jamesha Mubeen, driven by a fervent adherence to hardcore ISIS ideology.
Investigation details
The NIA initiated the investigation on October 27, 2022, revealing a plot hatched by Jamesha Mubeen, Mohammed Azarudeen, Umar Faaruq, Sheikh Hidayathullah, and Sanofer Ali. The conspirators aimed to carry out a series of suicidal terror attacks in Coimbatore, following a scheme formulated in the forested area of the Sathyamangalam region in Erode district, Tamil Nadu. The attack's motive, as outlined in a self-made confessional video by the accused, was to wreak vengeance on "Kafirs" (non-believers).
Role of Azarudeen
Azarudeen, previously arrested in an NIA case related to indoctrination in ISIS ideology and connected to the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) module of Sri Lanka, played a pivotal role in motivating three other accused. Meeting in Viyyur HSP while Azarudeen was in prison, the subsequent Sathyamangalam Conspiracy meeting led to the planning and preparation of the terror attack, with Umar Faaruq elected as the Amir to lead execution.
Involvement of Mohammed Idris
Mohammed Idris, part of Azarudeen's module and radicalised in ISIS through the 'bayans' of accused Zahran Hashim, was tasked with purchasing a used vehicle for the blast and assisting the main accused in the attack. The broader conspiracy aimed to instill terror in society by targeting various branches, including general administration, police, and the judiciary, according to the NIA.
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