The Coimbatore blast on October 23, in which a 25-year-old man was killed after an explosion in a car near the famous Eeswaran temple in Ukkadam, was planned as the “biggest Islamic State (IS) or ISIS attack", sources told CNN-News18.
The accused had surveyed six temples in Coimbatore and wanted to attack the Hindu population at a major gathering, sources added.
They had researched all types of explosives and made some explosives using potassium nitrate, sulphur and detergents. According to the arrested accused, they had made a big team of possible attackers and were also studying the impact of different explosive mixtures, said sources.
The agencies are investigating if the plan was to target an important personality or leader.
#CoimbatoreBlast | NIA to take custody of the alleged in #Coimbatore blast case. Top intel sources told News18 that the “plan was to attack Hindus at the gathering"Exclusive Input: @manojkumargupta#TheRightStand | @AnchorAnandN | #ISIS #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/HWakVt5oYR
— News18 (@CNNnews18) November 1, 2022
‘DEFINITE ACT OF TERROR’
Intel sources had earlier told CNN-News18 that the blast was a “definite act of terror" after explosive material such as potassium nitrate and sulphur were recovered from the house of Jamesha Mubin who was charred to death in the explosion. It was also revealed that Mubin was questioned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2019 for his ties to a radical network.
Mubin, on his display picture of his mobile phone, had written that “if the news about my death reaches you, forgive my mistakes, hide my shortcomings, participate in Janaasa and pray for me", which is an indication of a suicide mission, said sources.
UAPA INVOKED
In the incident, the asbestos sheet in front of the temple was damaged, but no one was injured. In the CCTV footage, Mubin — a scrap dealer — was seen loading cylinders.
Provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act have been invoked against the five accused who were arrested by the Tamil Nadu Police.
In Chennai, Chief Minister MK Stalin — who holds the Home portfolio — held a meeting to review the law and order situation with top officials of the state government at the Secretariat.
The issue soon snowballed into a political controversy after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president K Annamalai alleged that the blast was a ‘clear cut terror act with ISIS links’ and it was kept hidden from the public for more than 12 hours by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government.
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