The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday conducted searches at seven locations in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, in connection with an Islamic State group module, ANI reported.
The searches were conducted based on a fresh case filed by the agency in Coimbatore. The NIA found that a leader of the suspected Islamic State group module was reportedly friends on Facebook with Zahran Hashim, the alleged mastermind behind the terror attacks in Sri Lanka on April 21, according to ANI.
Unidentified police officials said the searches were a continuation of those conducted in Coimbatore and in Kerala in connection with an Islamic State group module, PTI reported. Details on documents and devices being seized during the searches were not available, the police said.
Searches began at 6 am in Anbu Nagar, Podanur, Kuniyamuthur and Karumbukadai areas of the city, and are still under way, reported The Hindu. The Coimbatore City Police were deployed at the locations where the searches were taking place.
The Islamic State group had claimed responsibility for the serial bombings in Sri Lanka that left 253 people dead in the island nation. The Sri Lankan government, however, claimed local terror group National Thowheed Jamath carried out the attacks with support from the Islamic State.
A two-member team of the National Investigation Agency had visited Colombo on May 29 to exchange information on suspects of the Easter Sunday attack. The NIA team shared share details of suspects, reportedly from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, who allegedly have links with the National Towheed Jamaath.
On April 29, the NIA arrested a 29-year-old man with alleged links to the Islamic State group for reportedly planning to carry out a suicide attack in Kerala.
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