Chennai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting a series of raids across Tamil Nadu in connection with a case filed on January 8 against eight people for allegedly supporting ISIS or the Islamic State.
The raids are being conducted at Ramanathapuram, Salem, and Chidambaram. Reports say that searches are also being done at 10 places connected to 10 persons at Muthupet, Keelakarai, Devipattinam, Salem and Lalpet.
The raids are conducted to unravel a case of them conspiring to procure arms for their terrorist gang, raise funds to wage armed struggle against India and also to facilitate escape of jailed terrorists to act against the country.
Reports say that during the raids a large number of incriminating documents have been seized by the security agency. Also, a number of devices, including 3 laptops, 3 hard discs, 16 mobile phones, 8 SIM cards, 2 Pen drives, 5 memory cards and 1 card reader has been confiscated. In addition 2 knives have also been seized by NIA.
Tamil Nadu and Kerala are recently on the scanner as reports emerge that ISIS have made huge inroads in these states. Even Sri Lankan security forces are saying that those behind the Easter day bombings had travelled to Kerala. In the subsequent investigations by the NIA, shocking details are emerging about how much the dreaded Islamic State has influenced those belonging to Muslim community.
The ISIS operatives had planned strikes similar to Sri Lankan bombings and even planned to attack religious gatherings of Hindu community.
Security personnel are also raiding home-stays in Kochi after they received information that the mastermind of Sri Lankan bombings Zahran Hashim had visited the coastal city and also had stayed there.