Cracking the whip on the Islamic State's (IS) Tamil Nadu Ansarulla module, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday carried out searches at the residence of one of the suspected operatives in the Tirunelveli district.
A search was conducted at M. Diwan Mujipeer's residence on the basis of warrant issued by a special NIA court in Chennai, an NIA spokesperson said in New Delhi. "During the search, three mobile phones, four SIM cards, one memory card many incriminating documents have been seized," the official said.
According to the NIA official, during investigation it was found that Mujipeer was associated with Ansarulla. The seized materials would be submitted to the special court and will also be sent for forensic examination.
On July 9, the NIA registered cases against 16 accused for allegedly owing allegiance to banned terrorist organisations -- IS/Daesh, Al Qaeda and SIMI.
The accused were allegedly trying to set up a terror outfit named Ansarulla. According to the NIA, the accused were making preparations to wage war against the country.
They were luring people for terror strikes and posting videos and other jihadi propaganda material, exhorting supporters to conduct terrorist attacks using explosives, poison, knives and vehicles.
They had collected funds to carry out terrorist attacks with an intention of setting up Islamic rule in India, the NIA said in a statement on Friday.
The NIA arrested 9 people -- Hassan Ali, Harish Mohamed, Mohamed Ibrahim, Meeran Ghani, Gulam Nabisath, Rafi Ahamed, Munthasir Umar Barook and Farook -- on July 13. On July 15, seven more -- Mohamed Sheik Maitheen, Ahamed Azarudhen, Toufiq Ahmed, Mohamed Ibrahim, Mohammed Afzar, Mohideen Seeni Shahul Hameed and Faizal Sharief -- were arrested. A special NIA cout had granted the agency an 8 day custody of the terror suspects who were accused of starting up a terror outfit named Ansarulla in Tamil Nadu.
The accused were also found to supporters of terror outfits such as Al Qaeda and ISIS
While 14 of the accused had been deported from Sauda Arabia for attempting to start the terror outfit in the country, the NIA officers nabbed two others from Tamil Nadu later.