NIA arrests two more Hizb-ut-Tahrir supporters in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths on Monday arrested two more Hizb-ut-Tahrir supporters in Tamil Nadu on charges of propagating an extremist ideology. With this, the number of people arrested in this case has risen to 10.

The arrested men have been identified as Kabeer Ahmed Aliyar and Bava Bahrudeen alias Mannai Bava. Kabeer was arrested in Chennai while Bava was nabbed from Mannargudi.

NIA sources said the duo, influenced by the extremist, radical ideology of HuT, had conducted secret bayans to canvass gullible youth to establish an Islamic caliphate.

"They were also involved in organising an exhibition to showcase the military might of Islamic nations that would be invited (Nussrah) to overthrow the Indian govt by waging violent jihad and war," said the NIA.

The NIA initiated the crackdown on HuT last year after the Chennai city police arrested the six conspirators -- Dr Hameed Hussain, Ahmad Mansoor, Abdur Rahman, Mohamed Maurice, Khadar Nawaz Sheriff and Ahmed Ali -- following their anti-India content on social media.

The NIA took over the case for investigation in August. The agency later arrested Aziz Ahamed alias Jaleel Aziz Ahmed and TN HuT leader Faizul Rahman.

The latest arrest is based on the confession of those already arrested, said NIA sources.

Influenced by the extremist, radical, and fundamental ideology of HuT, hese men had circulated newsletters and articles regarding the "violent cession of Kashmir with military assistance from Pakistan" to radicalise the gullible youth in the state, according to the NIA.

HuT is an international pan-Islamist and fundamentalist organisation which is working to re-establish an Islamic caliphate and enforce the constitution written by the outfit’s founder Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani.

The NIA has already chargesheeted the six arrested and framed them for organising meetings with religious heads (ulemas and imams) to recruit Muslim youth to promote its violent jihadi ideology. |