Shadow of terror - `Moideen met Islamic State module members'

KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has found that Thirunelveli native Subahani Haja Moideen (31) who returned to India after having fought for the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq, had met members of the Kerala module of the terror group.The meetings were held outside Kerala. NIA officers said that Moideen had met members of the Kerala module six of them were arrested by the agency at Kanakalamal near Panoor in Kannur on October 2 after he returned to India on September 22.“Mobile tower locations of some of the module members and Moideen were common on several occasions. They had come under same tower locations outside Kerala. Also, call record details of Moideen show that he had also contacted them. This means that Moideen was in the know of their plans,“ said an NIA officer. NIA suspects that Moideen was the common link with at least three-IS inspired modules in Kerala. After his return from Syria, Moideen had travelled to Chennai, Coimbatore and other places to meet local contacts in the conspiracy, collect money and procure explosives for terrorist acts as guided by his handlers. He had also received a payment of Rs 20,000 from the IS in Syria with which he attempted to source explosives from Sivakasi.
“We are yet to verify whether Moideen tried to procure explosives for the Kerala module for the terror strikes it had planned. Meanwhile, the six members of the module have confessed to the conspiracy to organize terror strikes in the state,“ added the officer.
The module had held discussions on targeting seven strategically important places and five prominent personalities ­­ two judges, two politicians and an IPS officer ­­ in the state to show its presence. It had also planned a `Nice model attack' by driving a truck into a harmony meeting organized by Jamaat-e-Islami in Kochi last month.
On Sunday , the NIA team led by DSP AP Shoukathali took Moideen to his house at Market Road near Thodupuzha in Idukki for evidence collection.
Meanwhile, a team of NIA officers is camping in Coimbatore to interrogate some youths who have suspected links with the module. One of the six arrested members of the module, Abu Basheer aka Rashid aka Buccha aka Dalpati aka Ameer (29), hailed from South Ukkadam in Coimbatore.