After arresting 16 terror suspects, NIA conducts searches in Tamil Nadu

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday searched several premises in Tamil Nadu after arresting 16 terror suspects including 14 who were deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), police said. The searches were conducted in Madurai, Theni, Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram and Chennai.

The search operations were carried out after a Special NIA court granted custody of the 16 arrested persons for eight days to the NIA.

The NIA has registered a case against the 16 accused and their associates based on credible information that the accused were owing allegiance to the proscribed terrorist organisations -- ISIS/Daesh, Al Qaeda and SIMI. The accused were allegedly trying to set up a terror outfit named 'Ansarulla'.

The NIA has alleged that the accused had conspired and were making preparations to wage war against the Government of India. The accused persons and their associates had collected funds to carry out terrorist attacks in India with the intention of establishing Islamic rule in India, the NIA said in a statement on Friday.

As per the NIA,the accused persons were luring individuals for  terror strikes in India and have also been routinely posting videos and other jihadi propaganda material exhorting their supporters to conduct terrorist attacks using various methods including explosives, poison, knives and vehicles.

The NIA had arrested nine persons on July 13 - Hassan Ali, Harish Mohamed, Mohamed Ibrahim, Meeran Ghani, Gulam Nabisath, Rafi Ahamed, Munthasir Umar Barook and Farook.

On July 15, seven more accused were arrested - Mohamed Sheik Maitheen, Ahamed Azarudhen, Toufiq Ahmed, Mohamed Ibrahim, Mohammed Afzar, Mohideen Seeni Shahul Hameed and Faizal Sharief.