Twenty-one persons arrested from Narath on the charge of seditious activities were remanded in judicial custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court here on Wednesday.
The case relates to conduct of an alleged terrorism camp by the Popular Front of India (PFI) at Narath, Kannur. The district police raided the alleged weapons training centre and arrested 21 suspects. Two country bombs and swords were seized from the raw laterite structure situated inside a coconut grove coming in the Mayyil police station limits. An Iranian identity card was seized during the raid.
Four members of the Karnataka Anti-Terrorism Squad also visited Narath and held discussions with the police officials there. The case was later shifted to the NIA.
Those arrested, and produced before the court on Wednesday, were P.V. Abdul Asiz, 38, of Shivapuram; A.V. Fahad, 27, of Achoor, Kottapuram; Abdul Samad, 28, of Mammakunnu; P. Shareef, 27, E.T. Faisal, 21, P. Jamsheer, 20, V. Sijin, 23, Rasaaq, 27, E.K. Rasheed, 21, Shafeeq, 23, and Raheel Riaz, 24, all from Muzhappilangad; K.P. Noufal, 21, of Koothuparamba; A.P. Nisaj, 22, and Suhair, 22, of Edakkad; Mohammed Absheer, 20, of Thalassery; T.M. Ajmal, 21, and O.K. Hasiq, 26, of Kadachira; C.P. Naushad, 32, of Aruvatti Kovoor; K.C. Hasim, 24, of Pinarayi; P.M. Ajmal, 21, of Thottada, and K.K. Jamsheer, 20, Madathikovil, Narath.
The investigating agency is on the lookout for three others, believed to be the main accused in the case. One among these absconding suspects, Kamarudheen, is also wanted in the Bangalore blast case.
A case has been registered against those arrested under Sections 143, 147, 153 (B) read with 149 of the Indian Penal Code, Sec 5(1)(a) read with 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act, Section 4 of the Explosives Act, and Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
It is learnt that the NIA will seek the custody of the accused when their judicial custody ends on Monday. They will be produced before the court on Monday. The accused were taken to Central Prison, Viyyur. The NIA will have to file the charge sheet by October, failing which the accused will be entitled for statutory bail in the light of 180 days of custody.
