The Bengaluru Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court judge has sent suspected bomber Mussavir Hussain Shazib and the key accused in the case and alleged mastermind behind the attack Abdul Matheen Taha, to 10-day NIA custody in connection with the Bengaluru cafe bomb blast case. Senior counsel Prasanna Kumar argued for the NIA.

The NIA, on Saturday, April 13, produced the arrested bomber Mussavir Hussain Shazib and his accomplice Abdul Matheen Taha before the magistrate court judge at his residence in Koramangala locality of Bengaluru. The central agency had taken the suspects to an undisclosed location for the investigation.

Sources said that the suspects had connections with international terror outfits and prepared bombs within the country and carried out explosions with the help of local youth. The agencies were able to track down Mussavir, Taha and the gang operating from the prison as per the instructions of terror outfits based abroad at the initial stages before they could get expertise in carrying out powerful strikes.

Taha, an engineering graduate, developed low-intensity Improvised Explosive Device (IED) bombs and intended to cause maximum fatalities. On March 1, the low-intensity IED bomb, planted in the bag, caused maximum damage to the roof and structure of the Rameshwaram cafe in Bengaluru. No casualty was reported in the incident.

NIA sources explained that they will go deeper into the money transactions of the suspected terrorists and their local networks.

After over a month-long chase, the NIA on Friday arrested bomber Mussavir Hussain Shazib and his accomplice Abdul Matheen Taha from a hideout in Kolkata. Sources explain that the suspected terrorists were planning to escape to Bangladesh from West Bengal.