National Investigation Agency raids four places in Karnataka, arrests two in IS conspiracy case

BENGALURU/ MANGALURU/SHIVAMOGGA: The National Investigation Agency on Thursday conducted searches in Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Davanagere and Bengaluru, and arrested two persons in connection with a conspiracy hatched by Islamic State (IS) to create terror in the country.
The arrested are Reshaan Thajuddin Sheikh from Varamballi in Brahmavar, Udupi and Huzair Farhan Baig from Shivamogga, stated the NIA. Investigations have revealed that Reshaan Thajuddin was reportedly radicalised by Maaz Muneer, who was arrested on September, 19, 2022, for his links with the banned IS terror outfit.
Reshaan and Muneer were collegemates and both allegedly received funds from their IS handler through crypto-wallets. tnn
Muneer was earlier arrested for painting pro-terror graffiti on a building wall in Mangaluru in 2020. He got bail and was arrested again in September 2022 in connection with the IS conspiracy case. Mohd Shariq, main accused in Mangaluru auto cooker blast case, was also one of the accused in the pro-terror graffiti case.
As part of their larger violent and disruptive designs, Reshaan and Huzair also planned to indulge in arson, targeting of vehicles and other establishments, such as liquor shops, godowns, transformers, the NIA stated.
In Shivamogga, the team searched the house of an engineering student in Manjunathnagar. In Thirthahalli, they visited houses of Shariq and Muneer's relatives. Shivamogga SP Mithun Kumar GK declined to share details.