NIA arrests Tahanaseer in Coimbatore car explosion case

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday said that it has arrested Tahanaseer in the ISIS-inspired car bomb blast case in Coimbatore, in which Jamesha Mubeen, a suicide bomber, was killed when his IED-borne vehicle exploded.

This is the 15th arrest in this case.

An NIA spokesperson said that Tahanaseer, a resident of Coimbator, conspired with other accused persons Mubeen and Mohammed Thoufeek to commit the terror attack, which took place in front of the ancient Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Thirukovil temple at Eswaran Kovil Street, Ukkadam in Coimbatore on October 23 last year.

The official said that the vehicle carrying the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was being driven by the deceased Mubeen, with whom both Tahanaseer and Mohammed Thoufeeq were closely associated.

"Investigations revealed that Tahanaseer and Thoufeeq had visited the residence of Mubeen, exactly one week prior to the attack, during which they conspired to carry out the act of terror," the official said.

The official said that scrutiny of Tahanaseer’s digital device also revealed that he was in possession of ISIS inspired literature and had deliberately attempted to cover his tracks by deleting the incriminating material, by employing specific mobile-based application software and apps following the terror incident, in an apparent bid to evade the attention of law enforcement agencies.

"Investigations uncovered that Mubeen was deeply inspired and motivated by the radical ISIS ideology," the official said, adding that Mubeen prior to carrying out the terror attack, had sworn allegiance by giving 'bayat' to Abu-Al-Hasan Al-Hashimi Al-Qurashi, the self-proclaimed Caliph of ISIS at the time.

The case was initially registered by the Ukkadam Police Station in Coimbatore City and subsequently handed over to the NIA, which officially re-registered it as on October 27 last year.

The NIA had earlier filed two separate chargesheets in the case on April 20 and June 2, 2023, before the NIA Court at Chennai, against 11 suspects.