Rameshwaram Cafe blast suspects chargesheeted in another terror case

Two prime suspects in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case have been chargesheeted in the Karnataka Al-Hind ISIS module case, relating to a terror conspiracy involving targeted killings and other jihadi activities, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said in a statement on Monday (August 19).

The accused are Abdul Matheen Taha and Mussavir Hussain Shazib, both residents of Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district. According to NIA, Taha and Shazib were involved in a larger conspiracy of ISIS and had been absconding until they were arrested on April 12 in connection with the March 1 cafe blast.

Second supplementary chargesheet

In its second supplementary chargesheet filed in the conspiracy case, NIA charged the duo under various sections of IPC and UAPA. So far, 18 accused have been chargesheeted in the case. The central agency took over the case from Bengaluru Police on January 23, 2020.

According to the NIA probe, Taha was self-radicalised, and he went on to radicalise and recruit Mussavir Hussain Shazib and others. In 2018, Taha was introduced to online handler Bhai alias Laptop Bhai and he went on to introduce Bhai to Mehaboob Pasha, who had formed the Al-Hind Trust in collaboration with his family members in Gurupanapallaya.