NIA raids 16 locations in Tamil Nadu over ISIS radicalisation and recruitment case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday executed raids at 16 locations across Tamil Nadu, targeting individuals involved in an ISIS radicalisation and recruitment network. The operation, initiated early in the morning, is part of a broader investigation into ISIS’s influence in the region. The NIA acted on specific intelligence inputs to conduct searches at the suspected hideouts of individuals promoting ISIS ideology and recruiting members for terrorist activities.

This operation stems from a case registered in 2024, which identified a network of ISIS sympathisers operating in Tamil Nadu. The investigation uncovered the involvement of several individuals in spreading ISIS’s radical ideology and facilitating the recruitment of members for terrorist activities. The NIA has been investigating these activities across multiple states, with Tamil Nadu emerging as a focal point due to the discovery of several interconnected radicalisation cells within the state.

The NIA’s focus on Tamil Nadu intensified after the October 2022 Coimbatore car bomb blast. The blast, targeting a temple, was carried out by Jamesha Mubeen, who had pledged allegiance to ISIS. The attack was part of ISIS’s broader anti-India campaign. Subsequent investigations revealed that Mubeen had received support from a network of local individuals who were actively involved in ISIS recruitment. As a result, three individuals were arrested on October 21, 2024, for their roles in planning, funding, and executing the blast. These individuals were linked to a network recruiting youths for ISIS activities.

In addition to the Coimbatore bomb blast case, the NIA has made several arrests in relation to ISIS radicalisation and recruitment in Tamil Nadu. In August 2024, the agency arrested four individuals—Jameel Basha, Mohammed Hussain, Irshath, and Syed Abdur Rahman—in connection with recruitment activities linked to the ISIS network. The four were allegedly operating from Madras Arabic College, which was later renamed Kovai Arabic College, located in Coimbatore. Investigations revealed that the accused were using the college as a platform to influence and recruit young people through social media and religious teachings. The NIA identified these individuals as key figures in an active network spreading extremist ideologies and providing logistical support for ISIS’s operations.

The ongoing raids and investigations are part of the NIA’s continuous effort to disrupt ISIS’s recruitment and radicalisation efforts in India. The agency has been focusing on dismantling ISIS's recruitment cells, which use both physical and online platforms to target vulnerable youth. The NIA’s operations in Tamil Nadu are expected to continue as part of a larger national strategy to combat radicalisation and prevent terrorist activities linked to ISIS across the country. Further developments are anticipated as the NIA gathers more evidence and follows up on leads related to the suspects involved.