NIA Files Charge Sheet Against Ten Terrorists Of Jihadi Outfit 'Shahadat Is Our Goal'

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet in a Chennai NIA court against ten terrorists of a Jihadi outfit 'Shahadat is our goal' for alleged conspiracy to establish Islamic rule in India, the anti-terror probe agency said in a statement on Saturday (23 January).

The charge sheet has been filed against ten accused namely Sheik Dawood, Mohamed Rifas, Muparish Ahamed, Abubakar Siddiq, Ahamed Imithiyas, Mohamed Rashid, Hameed Asfar, Liyakath Ali, Sajith Ahamed, Rizwan Mohammed under sections 120B, 153A, 121A and 122 of IPC, sections 13 and 18 of UA (P) Act and section 25(1)(a) of Arms Act.

According to the NIA statement, the case was originally registered at Keelakarai Police Station in Ramnathapuram district of Tamil Nadu after the arrest of accused Mohamed Rifas , Muparish Ahamed and Abupakkar Sithik from Keelakarai.

Lethal weapons, including swords, along with pamphlets pertaining to the terrorist gang, "Shahadat is our Goal", were seized from their possession, the official said, the agency said.

"Investigation in the case has established that the charge-sheeted accused persons were radicalized by violent jihadi ideology. The prime accused Sheik Dawood and Mohamed Rifas had conspired with co-accused and organized meetings at various places in Tamil Nadu, since Ramadan, 2017, with the intention of radicalising and recruiting the co-accused and others for shahadat (getting themselves killed) to establish Islamic rule in India," the agency said.

The accused had created various social media groups, especially on WhatsApp and were disseminating materials advocating violent jihad, including the videos and speeches of the Sri Lankan ISIS/ Daish leader Zahran Hashim.

Accused persons had also prepared pamphlets titled “Shahadat is our Goal” calling for violent jihad to liberate their associates lodged in prisons. In furtherance of the conspiracy, accused Sheik Dawood and Mohammed Rifas had also attempted to carry out terrorist acts by procuring illegal firearms in order to liberate their associates lodged in prisons, the agency said.