14 deported TN terror suspects wanted to wage war against India

The 14 men from Tamil Nadu who were arrested and deported from the United Arab Emirates, on charges of raising funds to wage war against India had reportedly sent lakhs of rupees to form a terror module in Tamil Nadu.

“They were trying to put together a group by recruiting from southern Tamil Nadu,” sources privy to the probe told The Federal.

The 14 men arrested were identified as Mohammed Sheik Moideen (Madurai), Mohammed Azarudeen (Tiruvarur), Thoufeeq Ahamed (Chennai), Mohammed Aksar (Theni), Moideen Sheeni Shahul Hameed (Keezhakarai), Mohammed Ibrahim (Nagapattinam), Meeran Kani (Theni), Gulab Nabi Azad (Perambur), Rafiq Ahammed, Munthapsheer and Faizal Sheriff (Ram Nadu), Umar Farooq (Thanjavur), Farooq (Vazhinokkam) and Mohammed Ibrahim (Tirunelveli).

According to the FIR, a group of pro-ISIS and al-Qaida organisation called Wahdat-e-Islami, Jamaat Jamaat Wahadat-ui-islam-al Jihadiyah, Jihadist Islamic Unit and Ansarullah have been formed to establish Islamic rule in India by resorting to jihad.

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“Hasan Ali from Nagapattinam, along with Syed Bukhari, head of Wahdat-ul-Islam (WEI) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, his associate Mohammed Yusuffudeen also from Nagapattinam, and others were conspiring to carry out terrorist attacks in various parts of India,” the FIR reveals.

NIA in its report confirmed that Hasan Ali of Nagapattinam was an ISIS operative and he was actively recruiting individuals. “(He) also routinely posts videos exhorting his supporters to conduct terrorist attacks by using various methods including procuring explosives, poison knives and vehicles as means of weapons,” the FIR reveals.

The FIR also said that Hasan Ali and Syed Bhukhari have affiliated their organisations with banned terror groups like ISIS, al-Qaida and SIMI.

According to sources privy to the investigation, all of them had moved to the UAE in search of jobs and had been working there for years. A month ago, officials in the UAE uncovered illegal transaction from the accounts of these 14 men to few people in Tamil Nadu.

It was later revealed they allegedly formed an Ansarullah terror group in the UAE to wage war and establish an Islamic State in India, sources said.

The 14 men have also allegedly given the details of the people to whom they have been transferring the money.

Based on the inputs, the National Investigation Agency filed a case against Syed Bukhari of Chennai, Hassan Ali Yanusmaricar and Mohammed Yusuffudeen Harish Mohammed of Nagapattinam under various sections including section 18B (Punishment for recruiting of any person or persons for terrorist act), 38 (associated with a terrorist organisation) and 39 (supporting terrorist organisation) of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act on July 9.

Subsequently, NIA arrested Yanusmaricar and Mohammed on Sunday.

Soon after arresting the two, NIA also recorded the arrest of 14 men deported from UAE in a Delhi court. They were produced before the Ponamalle special court for NIA cases in Chennai. All the accused have been remanded to judicial custody till July 25.

NIA also have plans to take all the accused into their custody for further interrogation. Explaining how the accused joined hands in the UAE, an official said it was a gradual process.

They did not know each other much before reaching UAE. “Initially, five to six people working in nearby companies in one of the emirates in UAE got in touch. They all were helped and headed by a 52-year-old person from Tamil Nadu who has been there in UAE for over 30 years, the official said.

Later, one person from the group moved to another place in the UAE, there he got in touch with some other persons from Tamil Nadu.

“Finally, they all functioned as a single unit and have been saving money for the terror module apart from sending money to their family,” the official said.

“The exact value of money, the time period during which the transactions were held and the modus operandi would be revealed after inquiring with them,” the official said.

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