2 held in IS case; ED raids Congress office in Shivamogga

MANGALURU/SHIVAMOGGA: Continuing its investigations into the Shivamogga Islamic State (IS) conspiracy case, the National Investigation Agency on Tuesday arrested two more terror operatives.
Early Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at the Thirthahalli Congress office in Shivamogga district in connection with the Mangaluru cooker blast case.
In a press note, the probe agency identified the arrested duo in the IS case as Mazin Abdul Rahman from Permannur in Mangaluru and Nadeem Ahmed KA from Devenayakanahalli in Honnali taluk of Davanagere district. Syed Yasin of Shivamogga and Maz Muneer Ahmed of Mangaluru arrested on September 19, 2022, on charges of alleged links with ISIS are said to have radicalized and recruited the arrested duo.
As per reports, Congress was running its office out of a building owned by relatives of Mangaluru blast suspect Mohammed Shariq. BJP leader Amit Malviya said it was “not surprising” that a “Congress link” emerges with the Mangaluru cooker blast terror case.
Former minister Kimmane Ratnakar said officials asked only about the rent agreement. Ratnakar, a former MLA of Thirthahalli, said Congress has taken the property on lease for eight years and deposited Rs 20 lakh. “I handed over a copy of the lease agreement to the team.
We don’t have any link with the Mangaluru blast case. The building has been leased from a person named Hasim. We've had landlord-tenant ties with that person,” Ratnakar said, accusing BJP of trying to tarnish his and the party’s image.
About the duo’s arrest, NIA said Mazin and Nadeem attempted or committed acts of sabotage or arson as part of a larger conspiracy to further the activities of Islamic State. Four other accused persons had previously been arrested in the case.
The case was initially registered in Shivamogga Rural police station on September 19. NIA re-registered it on November 4, 2022. On January 5 this year, NIA arrested Reshaan Thajuddin Sheikh of Varamballi in Udupi district’s Brahmavar and Huzair Farhan Baig of Shivamogga.
Full report: toi.in