Chennai, Sep 24 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting raids at 12 locations in Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Kanyakumari and Pudukkottai since Tuesday morning.

The raids, according to the NIA are in connection with recruitments to the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir (HUT) terror organisation.

The Hizb ut-Tahrir seeks to create an Islamic state governed by its constitution, written by the group's founder, Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani.

It may be recalled that the premium investigation agency took over the HUT case from the Tamil Nadu Police and the raids are part of its probe.

Soon after taking over the case, the NIA had arrested one Aziz Ahamed, also known as Jaleel Aziz Ahmed, at Bengaluru International Airport on August 31, while he was attempting to flee the country.

Aziz Ahamed's arrest is considered a significant development in the NIA's crackdown on the group's activities in India.

The agency continues to investigate the broader network and its attempts to undermine national security through radicalisation and recruitment efforts.

The Tamil Nadu Police had on August 1 this year arrested six men who were sympathisers of the Hizb Ut-Tahrir following an Intelligence input.

Police had then arrested engineering graduate Hameed Hussai, his father and brother under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

After interrogating these three, the police apprehended three more persons after conducting raids at Chennai and North Tambaram areas.

Police had then said that Hussain was the mastermind behind recruitments for the banned organisation and that he had been uploading videos on social media on an Islamic Caliphate.

In some videos he had also spoken against the democratic process, police said.