NIA Charges Two Terrorists in Major Karnataka ISIS Conspiracy Case

The NIA has charge-sheeted two more terrorists in the Karnataka Al-Hind ISIS module case involving a major terror conspiracy. Abdul Matheen Taha and Mussavir Hussain Shazib were arrested in April 2024. The duo face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charge-sheeted two additional terrorists in connection with the Karnataka Al-Hind ISIS module case that involves a significant terror conspiracy linked to targeted killings and other jihadi activities, the agency confirmed on Monday. The accused, Abdul Matheen Taha and Mussavir Hussain Shazib, both from Thirthahalli, Shivamogga District, Karnataka, had been evading capture until their arrest on April 12, 2024.

In its second supplementary chargesheet, the NIA has accused the duo under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. This brings the total number of individuals charge-sheeted in the case to 18. The NIA took over the investigation from the Bengaluru City police on January 23, 2020.

NIA investigations revealed that Taha was self-radicalized and responsible for radicalizing and recruiting Shazib and others into ISIS activities. Introduced to an online handler named Bhai alias Laptop Bhai in 2018, Taha connected Bhai with Mehaboob Pasha, who had established the Al-Hind Trust with family members in Bengaluru. Pasha later facilitated the participation of Khaja Mohideen and his associates in promoting ISIS activities in India. The NIA's investigation also found that Taha and Shazib had harbored accused individuals Thowfeek and Abdul Shameem, who later murdered a Tamil Nadu Police officer at the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border with a pistol linked to Pasha.

(With inputs from agencies.)