Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast case: NIA probe suggests Pakistan connection; here’s all you need to know
Week after the two suspects were arrested in the Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, the NIA is now looking for ‘Colonel,’ the online handler, who was allegedly in touch with Abdul Matheen Taha and Mussavir Hussain Shazib, HindustanTimes has reported citing people familiar with matter.
Given that the three have been in contact since their association with IS Al-Hind module in 2019–20, the investigating agency is allegedly suspecting a Pakistan link in the case.
“We heard about the handler named Colonel after the Mangaluru autorickshaw blast in November 2022. He operates from somewhere in the Middle East, most likely Abu Dhabi,” a senior counterterrorism official speaking on anonymity said as quoted by HT.
As per the report, Colonel is believed to be playing a significant role in persuading a number of young men in southern India to carry out attacks on places of worship, notable figures, with providing them funds through crypto wallets.
The report further added that Authorities are considering the possibility of the “Colonel” having links with Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), to revive terrorist activities by establishing small Islamic State (IS) modules. Terrorist modules have been sponsored by the ISI in India before, often disguising them as IS agents.
Meanwhile, on April 13, a special NIA court granted the national agency 10 days custody of two accused in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case for further investigation. Mussavir Hussain Shazib and Adbul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa were produced before a NIA special court judge. The accused were brought to the state capital from Kolkata on transit remand, for their alleged role in March 1 blast at Rameshwaram Cafe here, which left 10 people injured. According to NIA, Shazib placed the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the cafe and Taahaa was the mastermind.
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Published: 21 Apr 2024, 06:37 AM IST
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