Rameshwaram Cafe attack: Terrorists initially wanted to blast BJP office on Ram Mandir inauguration
- In Reports
- 11:53 PM, Sep 09, 2024
- Myind Staff
The four accused, named in the chargesheet submitted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), had plotted to attack the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state office in Bengaluru on 22nd January, coinciding with the Ram Mandir inauguration in Ayodhya, before carrying out the Rameshwaram Café blast.
The four men, Mussavir Hussain Shazib, Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taaha, Maaz Muneer Ahmed, and Muzammil Shareef, were charge-sheeted on Monday, revealing their malicious plans to incite chaos in the country.
The NIA stated that the accused had planned an IED blast at the BJP office in Malleshwaram. Shazib, who planted the bomb at the café, and Taaha were part of an Islamic State (IS) module and were instrumental in radicalising the other two accused.
"Taaha and Shazib were funded by their handler through cryptocurrencies, which Taaha converted to Fiat with the help of various Telegram-based P2P platforms. The funds were used by the accused to perpetrate various acts of violence in Bengaluru, investigations further revealed," the chargesheet stated.
"These included a failed IED attack at the State BJP Office, Malleshwaram, Bengaluru, on the day of Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya on 22nd January 2024, after which the two key accused had planned the Rameshwaram cafe blast."
The main accused had fraudulently acquired Indian SIM cards and bank accounts, also utilising various Indian and Bangladeshi identity documents sourced from the dark web.
They have all been charged under relevant sections of the IPC, UA(P) Act, Explosive Substances Act, and PDLP Act. All four had been arrested earlier and are currently in judicial custody in connection with the case.
The NIA began its investigation two days after the 1st March attack this year. The premier agency conducted extensive technical and field investigations in collaboration with various state police forces and authorities.
The blast had injured at least nine people and destroyed one of the city's most iconic food joints. Following comprehensive searches, the NIA arrested Taaha and Shazib from their hideout in West Bengal, 42 days after the Rameshwaram Café explosion.
Image source: Wion
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