Chennai, Oct 22 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested three individuals for their alleged involvement in the Coimbatore car bomb blast that took place on October 23, 2022, near the Sangameswar temple in Kottaimedu.
It may be recalled that a 29-year-old man, Jamesha Mubin, was killed in the blast, which was termed a 'suspected suicide bomb attack'.
In a statement on Monday (October 21), the NIA said it uncovered a terror financing angle in the case with the arrests of Aboo Hanifa, Saran Mariappan, and Pavas Rahman, all hailing from Coimbatore.
The investigation agency stated that the three had conspired to arrange funds for carrying out the terror act.
The agency also revealed that Aboo Hanifa, one of those arrested, was working as an Arabic faculty member at Kovai Arabic College, where the deceased Mubin and other arrested individuals were radicalised to the Islamic State ideology.
The NIA further stated that Mubin had sworn allegiance by giving 'bayath' to Abu-Al-Hasan Al-Hashimi Al-Qurashi, the then self-styled Caliph of the Islamic State.
With these arrests, the total number of people arrested in connection with the car bomb blast case has reached 18.
The NIA has already filed four charge sheets against 15 accused at the NIA Special Court at Poonamallee, Chennai.
The NIA also stated that the investigation into the radicalisation of gullible youths in Tamil Nadu and other South Indian states is ongoing.
It may be recalled that a few months ago, the NIA conducted raids across Tamil Nadu and certain locations in Hyderabad in relation to the Coimbatore car bomb blast case.
The agency had raided the residence of a DMK councillor, Mubeera, whose husband was a classmate of the deceased suicide bomber Jamesha Mubin at Kovai Arabic College.
It is also noteworthy that the NIA had earlier arrested Mohammed Talka, the nephew of S.A. Basha, the founder of the banned terror outfit Al Umma, and one of the key accused in the Coimbatore bomb blast case of February 14, 1998, which killed over 50 people and injured over 200.