NIA charges 14th accused in Coimbatore blast case
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New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed charges against Thaha Naseer, adding him as the 14th accused in the 2022 Coimbatore car bomb blast case.
According to the NIA, Naseer and his associates conspired to wage war against the government of India and plotted to destabilize the country by targeting Indians and creating communal disharmony.
The blast, which occurred on October 23, 2022, involved a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) detonated by accused Jamesha Mubeen, who died in the explosion. The motive behind the blast was reportedly to avenge the alleged imprisonment of Mohammed Azaruddin, who was arrested in 2019 for promoting ISIS ideology.
Investigations by the NIA revealed that Naseer was closely associated with Mubeen and Umar Faaruq, the leader of the terror attack. Faaruq recruited individuals, including Mubeen and Naseer, and conducted training in a secluded area, declaring it as their territory. Naseer and another associate, Mohammed Thoufeek, visited Mubeen's house a week before the blast to plan multiple terror attacks.
The NIA stated, "The larger aim of the conspiracy was to wage war against the government of India by targeting its various branches and also to target and kill Indians in order to destabilise the country and create communal disharmony."