Ballari, July 8 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday carried out searches at the residence of Abdul Nazeer in Karnataka’s Ballari as part of a multi-state operation linked to an alleged terror conspiracy case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The raids were conducted at Abdul Nazeer’s residence in the Kaul Bazar area of Ballari. NIA officials questioned his parents and other family members regarding his associates and friend circle. The investigators also examined their mobile phones as part of the search operation.

According to officials, Abdul Nazeer was previously booked under the UAPA in a case registered in Hyderabad. He was later arrested by the Vijayawada Police on March 26 in connection with allegations that he was involved in propagating extremist ideology through social media and allegedly encouraging youths to take up arms and join terrorist organisations.

Investigators have also alleged that he had formed and operated an extremist group and was part of a conspiracy to carry out subversive activities in Chennai and Visakhapatnam.

He is also suspected of having links with terrorist organisations. Following his arrest, Abdul Nazeer was taken to Vijayawada for further investigation.

The searches in Ballari were part of simultaneous NIA raids conducted across multiple states, including Karnataka, Delhi, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan and West Bengal.

The coordinated operation is part of the agency’s ongoing investigation into the alleged terror conspiracy and suspected extremist network. Further investigation is underway.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in June 2023 chargesheeted seven persons who allegedly created an Islamic State-inspired terror module in Ballari.

The NIA arrested these seven persons from Ballari in December 2022. The accused were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Arms Act, 1959, and the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, apart from various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The seven, arrested by the NIA, were charged with recruitment and radicalisation of vulnerable youth as ‘mujahideen’ to operate as terrorist sleeper cells.

“The accused were part of a bigger ISIS conspiracy to prepare 50 such sleeper cells in each district of India by 2025. The accused were also involved in the fabrication of explosives for furtherance of the ISIS goal to establish the Caliphate system in India by waging jihad against the Government of India,” the NIA stated in the chargesheet.

–IANS

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