NIA files chargesheeet against 17 key ISIS conspirators

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed a charge sheet against 17 key conspirators who allegedly formed a terror group to carry out strikes in India and were involved in furthering the activities of ISIS in the southern states, an official said.The accused, including Mahboob Pasha, Khaja Moideen and M Sadiq Basha, have been charged under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act before a special NIA court in Bengaluru, according to an official statement released by the NIA.

Mehboob Pasha, a resident of Gurappanapalya, Bengaluru, who in association with Khaja Moideen and Sadiq Basha, had formed a terror group for spreading the ideology and activities of ISIS through its off-shoot outfit known as Al-Hind in Bengaluru.

"They were conspiring with other co-accused persons at Al-Hind Office of Mahboob Pasha in Guruppanpalya and other places in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu since April 2019, for carrying out terrorist attacks in South India, especially in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and for establishing Islamic Khilafat in India," NIA said.

Pasha and Moideen used to recruit vulnerable youth. They would procure arms and ammunition and explosive materials for making powerful IEDs. "They also collected jungle training material to conduct training at an identified place at Shivanasamudra and Gundelpet area and for securing hideouts. The accused persons were also communicating with an unknown foreign ISIS handler through secure chat (Dark Web) for perpetrating ISIS activities in India," the statement read.

The NIA has declared a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh against the absconding accused Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa.

( With inputs from ANI )