Kochi: Giving clues that Islamic State is taking root in Kerala, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conducted raids in Northern, taking one person in custody. Reports say that the raids had relation to the Easter day bombings in Sri Lanka which witnessed hundreds of death and injured.
Though the Islamic State has claimed responsibility in the bomb blasts, the Sri Lankan authorities have zeroed in an otherwise obscure outfit called National Thowheeth Jammath (NTJ).
NIA conducted raids in early morning in three place in Kasaragod and Palakkad districts. The security agency has taken one person into custody. No details are given about his identity expect that he had previous involvement with terrorist organizations.
The NIA also questioned two persons from Kasaragod, Ahamad Arafat and Abubacker Siddique, and asked them to reach Kochi tomorrow for detailed interrogation. Their mobile phones have been confiscated.
The duo were regular listeners to the mastermind of Sri Lankan bombings, Zaharan Hashim. The NIA is probing if these persons have direct relation to the suicide bomber.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan media have revealed that Zaharan Hashim was a regular visitor to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. He had many adherents in both states who were attracted to his extremists speeches and ideas.
Earlier, it was reported that around 60 people in Kerala are under the scanner for taking part in camps organized by NTJ’s Tamil Nadu unit.
