NIA probes ‘radicalisation centre’ on Anna Salai

CHENNAI: The National Investigation Agency on Thursday, during its State-wide raids connected with a case of suspected IS link against a man in Mayiladuthurai, stumbled upon a possible radicalisation centre on Anna Salai in Chennai.

“It looks like a classroom, but it is said to be an office of a construction firm. It could be a radicalisation centre and we seized some materials from the place,” said an NIA source, adding that the agency will have to investigate further to know how the building on Anna Salai taken on rent by Needur ICAMA Sadiq Basha, the main accused in the IS case, was used. “We will take him into custody and question him,” another NIA officer said.

The agency, during the searches conducted in nine premises in Chennai, Mayiladuthurai and Karaikal seized 16 digital devices including laptops and mobile phones, literature leaflets and handwritten notes.

A press release from NIA said that the accused had formed the Khilafah Party of India and indulged in radicalisation.

The case was initially registered by the local police against Sadiq Basha which was later taken over by the NIA.

Basha and his associates had threatened police officers with a gun in Mayiladuthurai in February this year during a vehicle check, after which the police team overpowered them.“Needur Basha has been in touch with global terror outfit IS and various central agencies have been monitoring his activities closely.

After collecting all evidence, the NIA has now taken over the probe” an official noted. The accused intended to mobilise funds to the cession of a part of the territory of India and intended to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India by forming an anti-national organisations namely Khilafah Party of India’, ‘Khilafa Front of India etc.

Are you in Chennai? Then click here to get our newspaper at your doorstep!