Bengaluru blast: NIA probing jihadists 'indoctrinating' fellow prisoners

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the bomb blast at the popular Rameshwaram Café in Bengaluru is trying to find out whether jihadists in jails are indoctrinating fellow prisoners to embrace terror.

Investigators have turned to this line of thinking as they seek to unravel the March 1 bombing in the country’s IT capital with preliminary hints pointing towards the involvement of Islamist radicals. The focus of the investigation is on individuals accused in the case.

Wooing co-prisoners?

It is reported that these individuals, including a 2008 Bengaluru serial blast accused, are allegedly influencing like-minded co-prisoners arrested in other cases towards radical activities.

The accused are continuing with such activities even after obtaining bail. NIA officials are collaborating with the Intelligence Bureau and the Bengaluru Central Crime Branch (CCB) to dig deeper into what could be taking place in jails. The NIA is taking steps to interrogate these individuals with court permission and, if needed, take them into police custody for further questioning.

A bomb left behind stealthily by a visitor to the Rameshwaram Café during lunch hour on March 1 exploded, injuring nine or ten persons who were at the venue.

The visitor, who has not been identified, wore a cap and a face mask, as revealed by CCTV footage.

Bombing similarities

Forensic analysts and bomb experts are examining the probable similarities between the Rameshwaram Cafe blast and the construction of a timer device used in an improvised explosive device (IED) in October 2022 in a Coimbatore car and in the November 2022 Mangaluru cooker blasts.

The NIA is said to be interrogating those arrested in those cases to ascertain their connections with those absconding in the Bengaluru café blast.

The officials are also quizzing suspects now in jails in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, an official told The Federal on condition of anonymity.

Among those who will be questioned in Tamil Nadu is Mohammed Talka, a nephew of Al Umma founder SA Basha, the primary accused in the Coimbatore bomb blast of 1998 which killed 58 people.

The NIA will also question the Mangaluru blast accused Mohamed Shariq and Syed Yasin. The NIA on Tuesday raided two places in Chennai and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu in connection with the Bengaluru blast, said the sources.

Prison goings-on

According to informed sources, individuals previously convicted in NIA cases have been involved in various crimes after being influenced and trained by convicted persons of terror cases while in prison.

The NIA has been conducting raids in six states to find clues related to the accused in the March 1 bombing. The raids conducted in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Punjab, Gujarat and West Bengal have led to the seizure of digital devices, documents and cash. NIA has also uncovered mobile phones, laptops, storage devices, incriminating documents and various currencies.

Siddaramaiah speaks

Sources says there is some radicalisation of inmates in Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison by a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said police in Bengaluru and NIA were conducting a thorough investigation into the March 1 incident.

“Some clues have been found. It has been reported that the NIA has detained five persons related to the cafe blast,” he told the media on Tuesday.