Aftermath of Lanka Blasts : NIA raids 3 Kerala houses over IS links

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday carried out raids at three places in Kerala in connection with the Islamic State (IS) Kasaragod module case.

Three suspects are being questioned by the investigative agency in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka.

The NIA also carried out searches at houses of the three suspects, two in Kasaragod and one in Palakkad. The three persons are suspected to have links with some other people, especially youth, who left India to join the terror outfit.

The Kasaragod module case came to light last year after the NIA busted an IS module and arrested 25-year-old Habeeb Rehman. On further investigation, the agency came to know that several other youngsters from the state had left to join the terror outfit.

During the fresh raids on Sunday, many digital devices, including mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, pen drives and diaries with handwritten notes in Arabic and Malayalam, DVDs of Zakir Naik were retrieved.

Investigating officers also found untitled DVDs, CDs with religious speeches, books authored by Zakir Naik and Syed Kutheb.

Authorities are trying to find out more details about their ties with the terror group through interrogation after the bombings in Sri Lanka that claimed several lives, including over 10 Indians.

The ISIS had claimed responsibility for the serial bombings in Sri Lanka, and around 9 suicide bombers were involved in the attack. Sri Lankan government said local terror group National Towheeth Jamaat (NTJ) conducted the attacks with support from the ISIS.

Soon after the attack, India has stepped up security across south India states. Tamil Nadu has been on high alert since the bomb blasts shook the island nation on April 21.

Security arrangements have been beefed up across religious places including temples and also in some prominent public places.

The situation in Sri Lanka is sensitive at present, considering that it failed to prevent the attack despite receiving intel on the same from India.