NIA conducts searches in TN, devices seized

Chennai: The National Investigation Agency sleuths on Saturday conducted searches in Thanjavur and Tiruchirappalli in connection with its probe into the ISIS module case and seized among others, laptops, mobile phones and an axe from the premises of two suspects.

Taking forward its probe in the case, in which two men Mohammed Azarudheen and Shiek Hidayathulla were arrested in June following raids in Coimbatore, the NIA said it conducted searches in the residences of Alavudeen at Thanjavur and S Sarfudeen at Tiruchirappalli.

Both these men are suspected to be associates of the arrested duo and in the search operation, two laptops, six mobile phones, eleven SIM cards, one pen drive, a hard disc, one memory card, five CDs/ DVDs, one axe besides 17 documents have been seized, the NIA said in an official release.

"The seized items including the digital devices will be submitted to the NIA Special Court, Ernakulam," and the devices will be subjected to forensic examination.

The suspects were being questioned to ascertain their association with the two accused persons in this case and if they were involved in any unlawful activity aimed at furthering the objectives of ISIS / Daish, the premier probe agency said.

On May 30 this year, NIA had registered a case against six accused of Coimbatore, based on information that they and their associates propagated the ideology of the proscribed terrorist organisation ISIS on social media.

Their intention was recruitment of vulnerable youth into the ISIS and carrying out terrorist attacks in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, NIA said.

In June, the NIA sleuths had quizzed 'Police' Fakrudeen, Panna Ismail and Bilal Malik who are lodged in the Puzhal Central Jail here in connection with their probe in the ISIS module case.

The trio are accused in the murders of leaders of a Hindu outfit and the BJP in Tamil Nadu.