Pramesh S Jain
NIA on Thursday filed a Chargesheet against two accused in the Shivamogga Islamic State (IS) conspiracy case relates to the conspiracy hatched to further the activities of Islamic State by carrying out acts of arson sabotage and violence in Karnataka.
NIA re-registered the case in September 2022 and took over the investigations of the case registered by shivamogga Police after the stabbing of one Prem Singh at Shivamogga (Karnataka) on August 15, 2022, by accused Zabiulla and others.
Investigation revealed that Maaz Muneer Ahmed 23, and Syed Yasin 22,of shivamogga were part of the conspiracy and have been charged under sections 120B,121A and 122 of IPC,1860, sections 18,18B,20 & 38 of UA (P) Act,1967 and sections 4 (i) and 5 of ES Act,1908 and section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act,1971.
Both the accused are B.Tech graduates,radicalised and motivated by an online foreign based handler to target public and private properties, including warehouses, liquor outlets,hardware shops,vehicles and properties belonging to citizens belonging to a particular community.
In furtherance of conspiracy hatched by the Islamic State,Maaz and Yasin had committed over 25 incidents of arson and sabotage.
The level of their commitment is evident from their activities.
Maaz and Syed Yasin both went to Agumbe and Varahi river backwaters forest area of Shivamogga district for trekking and recce for hideouts.
They procured explosives and prepared to fabricate an IED.
Syed Yasin conducted a trial explosion of one of the IEDs at Varahi river bank in Shivamogga.
He also burnt an Indian National Flag and recorded a video to establish his anti-India credentials.
These IS terror operatives were being paid in crypto currencies by their online handler by fund transfers from abroad.
Investigations have revealed that Maaz received Crypto equivalent to around Rs.1.5 lakhs from the online handler into accounts of his friends,whereas Syed Yasin received Rs.62,000 into the account of a friend.
As part of the larger IS conspiracy,accused Mohammed Shariq had planned to carry out IED blast at Kadri Temple,Mangaluru on November 19 2022.
However, the IED had exploded prematurely due to timer malfunction,when Shariq was enroute to the target location averting a potential disaster.
Further investigations against six other arrested accused persons are in progress.
