The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested three more persons in connection with the recent car blast in front of Sangameswarar temple in Coimbatore on October 23.
Mohammed Thoufeek, 25, of Podanur in Coimbatore, Umar Faaruq, alias K. Srinivasan, 39, of Coonoor in the Nilgiris, and Ferose Khan, 28, of South Ukkadam in Coimbatore were arrested based on evidence collected following the blast and the arrest of six others, sources said.
According to the NIA, investigations revealed that Faaruq and Khan were part of the conspiracy meetings at Faaruq’s residence in Coonoor that Jameesha Mubin, the key conspirator killed in the explosion, had attended. They also provided support to Mubin in the commission of the terror acts.
Thoufeek was found in possession of handwritten notes on preparation of explosives, incriminating literature and books connected to radical Islam.
According to the agency, preliminary investigations revealed that Mubin, after taking bayath (oath of allegiance) to the Islamic State, planned to carry out a suicidal attack to cause extensive damage to symbols and monuments of a particular religious faith and strike terror among people.
Following the blast, Coimbatore City Police had launched an investigation and arrested six persons — Muhammad Azharudheen, 23, Afsar Khan, 28, Muhammad Thalha, 25, Muhammad Riyas, 27, Firoz Ismail, 27 and Muhammad Nawaz Ismail, 25 on different charges. The NIA took over the investigation on October 27.
