ISIS Karnataka module case: NIA files charge sheet against 17 key conspirators

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 13

The federal anti-terror probe agency NIA on Monday said it has filed charge-sheet against 17 key conspirators, who formed a terror group initiated by Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS) terrorists Mehboob Pasha of Bangalore and Khaja Moideen of Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu), for their attempt to perpetrate terror activities in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The accused persons Mahboob Pasha, Khaja Moideen alias Jalal, Abdul Samad, Y Thowfeek, Syed Ali Navas, Jaffar Ali, Abdul Shameem, Imran Khan, Mohammed Haneef Khan, Mohammed Mansoor Ali Khan, Saleem Khan alias Kolar Saleem, Hussain Shariff, Ejaz Pasha alias Ezaz Pasha, Zabiulla, Syed Fasiur Rehaman, Mohammed Zaid and M Sadiq have been charged under various sections of the IPC, the UAPA and the Arms Act before the Bengaluru NIA Special Court, the agency said in a statement.

The NIA said, the case was initially registered on January 10 this year Karnataka Police and was related to Mehboob Pasha, a resident of Bengaluru, who in association with Khaja Moideen and Sadiq Basha formed a terror group for spreading the ideology and activities of ISIS, a banned terror outfit in India through its off-shoot ‘Al-Hind in Bengaluru’.

“They were conspiring with other co-accused persons at the house and 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 of India, especially in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and for establishing Islamic Khilafat in the country”, the NIA said in its charge sheet.

In furtherance of the conspiracy, Mahboob Pasha and Khaja Moideen recruited vulnerable young men, procured arms and ammunition and large quantities of explosive materials for making powerful IEDs, charged the NIA, while accusing them of collecting jungle training material to train young recruits.

The NIA has also declared a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh against absconding accused Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa in this case.