New Delhi: In a major development, investigations conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have revealed that members of terrorist organisations linked to ISIS have been trying to target religious places and temples in Tamil Nadu, and other neighbouring states including Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
According to the investigation, the members of the terrorist organisations have been trying to promote Salafi-Jihadi ideology with an aim to make Tamil Nadu an Islamic State.
“We have intimated all the concerned State governments in this direction,” an official privy to the development told ETV Bharat here on Monday.
The revelation came to the fore following an ongoing investigation into the ISIS-inspired Coimbatore car bomb explosion case of 2022.
“During the course of the investigation, the agency came to know that several temples in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have been on the radar of the terrorist organization,” the official said.
According to the official, the members of the terror organization were also involved in terror financing.
In a supplementary chargesheet filed by the agency last week in a case with RC-01/2022/NIA/CHE, four people including Sheikh Hidayathullah, Umar Farooq, Pavas Rahman, Sharan Mariappan and Aboo Hanifa have been charged for their involvement in terror financing and other activities linked to the terror attack targeting a Hindu temple, Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Thirukovil, Coimbatore in October.
With this, a total of 17 accused have been chargesheeted in the Coimbatore car bomb explosion case so far.
During investigation it was further revealed that both Hidayathullah and Umar Faaruq had orchestrated a fake COVID vaccine certificate scam in 2021-2022, using the funds earned from the scam to procure materials for explosives and other resources for the car bomb attack.
The scam was facilitated by accused Pavas Rahman and Sharan, while Aboo Hanifa had provided funds for generating fake certificates.
Salafi-Jihadi ideology aiming for an Islamic State
Salafi jihadism, also known as Salafi-jihadism, jihadist Salafism and revolutionary Salafism, is a religiopolitical Sunni Islamist ideology that seeks to establish a global caliphate through armed struggle. Jihadi Salafism often views political rivals as enemies and uses violence as a means to achieve its objectives.
Counter terrorism and radicalization unit of MHA
The counter terrorism and counter radicalization division of the home ministry which works in close connivance with other intelligence agencies including NIA said that underground and overground followers of Salafi-Jihadi ideology have also been trying to lure the gullible youths across the country and involve them in anti-national activities.
“The counter terrorism and counter radicalization division always keep in touch with the concerned State agencies as well and try to explore all possible angles whenever any terrorist member gets arrested anywhere in India,” another official stated.
