NIA investigates three city youths in connection with Bengaluru bomb blast

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

In a shocking development, the National Investigating Agency (NIA) has unearthed the connection of three youths from Harsul with the two main suspects in the bomb blast, recently.

NIA and Delhi police squads after investigation for eight long hours also searched their houses and seized laptops, mobile handsets, and other electronic gadgets which they were using. Later on, the officials left for Delhi. The agency believes that these youths were in touch with the main bomb blast suspects through cryptocurrency.

As reported earlier, the bomb blast took place in Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1 and 11 persons had sustained severe injuries in the incident. The blast was done using the ID-timer. The incident is linked with the banned terror organisation ISIS.

Seventeen days ago, the names of two suspects Musawwir Hussain Shahzib (Teerthgalli Karnataka) and his accomplice Abdul Matin Shah got surfaced.

NIA claims Taha and Musawwir are attached to ISIS. The names of the duo were revealed during the investigation of the ISIS suspects who were arrested by the police previously.

17 simultaneous raids in 7 states

A few days ago, the NIA arrested one Muzzaffal Sharif. He has been held responsible for supplying blast material. While investigating him, the NIA conducted simultaneous raids at 17 places in seven states. One of the raids was made on the house of T Nazeer of Bengaluru. A case of hawala transaction has already been registered against him. During the investigation, the cops got evidence of using cryptocurrency and operation of hawala transactions. Later on, a 20-year-old youth from the city’s Mayur Park was traced in this connection. NIA along with Delhi police then rushed to conduct raids on the houses of three youths and had a thorough investigation. Of the three, one has left his BBA education from Pune and one is HSC passed. The investigating agency suspects that out of these three, one of them had done cryptocurrency transactions with the blast suspects.

Local ATS gears up

After the NIA’s action, the local Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) also became active. They served summons to these youths directing them to report for inquiry. It may be noted that the NIA had already seized their mobile phones, laptops and other gadgets. Hence till the completion of the inquiry, the squad will keep a strict watch on their movements. The officials hinted that they would investigate whether they had any political background, will find whether they had travelled anywhere in the last 4-5 months, their usage of social media platforms, etc.

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NIA had already arrested one Mohd Zoheb Khan from Harsul in February. According to the agency, he was planning to join ISIS by visiting Syria via Afghanistan. Hence this second shocking development took place after two months. Meanwhile, the connection of the city youths with terror organisations has once again come up to the fore.