Rameshwaram Cafe blast accused also named in Shivamogga IS conspiracy case: NIA

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday filed a charge sheet in the 2022 Shivamogga Islamic State module conspiracy case, naming Abdul Matheen Taaha and Mussavir Hussain Shazib, two main accused in the March 1 Rameshwaram Cafe blast, as accused.

Earlier this month, the duo was named in a separate charge sheet in Rameshwaram Cafe blast as well.

The Shivamogga (Karnataka) ISIS case relates to suspected activities of ISIS members was initially registered by Shivamogga police in September 2022 and was taken over by the NIA in November same year.

The duo was also part of the 20-member Al-Hind ISIS module, led by Bengaluru based Mehboob Pasha and Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu) based Khaja Moideen.

Their name had even surfaced in the murder of a special sub-inspector, A Wilson, in January 2020 at a check post near Tamil Nadu-Kerala border.

The federal agency has so far filed three charge sheets in Shivamogga conspiracy case against ten accused persons.

NIA said in a statement on Tuesday that Taaha and Shazib, who were absconding since 2020, “were engaged in radicalizing and recruiting gullible Muslim youths, including the co-accused, in the instant (Shivamogga) case”.

Also Read: Bengaluru Rameshwaram blast: NIA chargesheet says accused ISIS radicals, were funded through cryptocurrency

“The accused (in this module) were involved in violent activities like arson, trial explosions and burning of the Indian national flag, in addition to radicalisation, recruitment, terror funding, as part of the IS conspiracy to spread terror and destabilize the nation,” the agency said.

In the Rameshwaram Cafe probe, the federal agency has claimed that the duo was involved in a “failed IED (improvised explosive device) attack” at the office of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the city on January 22, the day of the consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

At least nine people were injured after a low-intensity IED exploded at Rameshwaram Cafe at ITPL Road in Brookefield on March 1.