National Investigation Agency court finds six guilty in 2016 Islamic State terror plot case

An NIA court in Kochi on Monday found six people guilty of planning terror attacks in different parts of South India.

The court acquitted another alleged accused giving him benefit of doubt. The quantum of punishment will be declared on Wednesday. The accused were arrested in connection with a 2016 Islamic State (IS) terror plot case.

According to the NIA, the case, known as Omar Al Hindi module, was named after the first accused: Omar Al Hindi, alias Manseed Muhamed, a native of Chokli in Kannur, Kerala. He was an Islamic propagator at Qatar Guest Centre in Qatar. Thirteen people are accused in this case, most of them absconding, according to the NIA.

This group had men who had moved or tried to move to Afghanistan and Syria, according to the agency.

Others found guilty by the court are Swalih Mohammed, Rashid Ali, Ramshad Nangeelan, Safvan and Moinudeen Parakkadavathu. Another accused, Subahani Haja, was charge-sheeted later and is facing trial.

Prominent among the group was engineering graduate Shajeer Mangalassery, a native of Kozhikode, who had allegedly moved from the Gulf to Afghanistan in 2016 to join the IS — the NIA found that he was killed in an encounter in Afghanistan.

This module, which was allegedly planning terror attacks across South India, was busted on October 2, 2016, when the NIA raided a secret meeting of five IS operatives at Kanakamala in Kannur. According to investigators, this group had conspired to attack foreigners, especially Jews visiting Vattakkanal near Kodaikanal in TN, and prominent political leaders.

According to NIA, their targets included high court judges, senior police officers, rationalists and Muslims of the Ahmediya sect.

Source: Indian Express