CHENNAI: The president of the Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit, K Annamalai, on Tuesday said Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) has claimed responsibility for the Coimbatore suicide bombing incident.
“The Islamic State in Khorasan Province, a terrorist organisation, has claimed responsibility for the Coimbatore suicide bombing incident. Hope DMK party members wake up at least now and give up their ‘Cylinder Blast’ theory”, tweeted Annamalai.
A 29-year-old man, Jameesha Mubin, was killed in a car explosion near a temple in Coimbatore during the wee hours on October 23.
Earlier, the Tamil Nadu BJP hit out at Chief Minister M K Stalin over the Coimbatore “suicide bombing” incident and asked if he will remain in “silent mode”. Annamalai asked why was the state government “caught napping” when there was a “specific threat alert” flagged by the central agencies five days ahead of the blast.
The BJP leader further asked the reason behind stopping the monitoring of the activities of Mubin, who he called a “suicide bomber”, as against the instructions to monitor his activities (after NIA’s enquiry in 2019).
On October 25 last year, the Tamil Nadu police arrested five people in connection with the blast — Mohammad Thalka (25), Mohammad Asarudheen (25), Muhammad Riyaz (27), Feroz Ismail (27) and Mohammad Navaz Ismail (27) — and invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Police informed that during a search at Mubin’s residence in Kottaimedu area in Ukkadam, they recovered chemicals like potassium nitrate, aluminium and sulphur, which are used to make crude bombs. According to police, Mubin was an engineering graduate and has been previously questioned by the NIA in 2019 for alleged terror links. His name is mentioned as the primary accused in the case.
Chief Minister Stalin recommended an NIA probe into the incident following which the Centre ordered the NIA investigation on October 27, considering the possibility of cross-state developments and the role of international elements in the investigation.
The Counter-Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued the order a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin recommended an NIA probe. (ANI)