DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇳 India /Conflict & Security

Khaja Moideen, aide acquitted of IS-linked terrorism charges

From Hindustan Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • A Chennai court acquitted Khaja Moideen and his associate Ansar Meeran of charges related to IS-linked terrorism.
  • The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had portrayed Moideen as a key figure in the IS network in India.
  • The court found no evidence connecting the accused to any terrorist organization or recruitment activities.

In a significant setback for India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), a Chennai court has acquitted Khaja Moideen, whom the agency identified as a central figure in the Islamic State (IS) network within India. Moideen was accused of radicalizing young men and facilitating their travel to Syria, as well as being part of terror modules across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.

No evidence connecting Khaja Moideen and Ansar Meeran

— Special NIA CourtStating the court's finding regarding the lack of evidence against the acquitted individuals.

The court also acquitted Moideen's associate, Ansar Meeran, of terrorism conspiracy charges. However, Meeran received a four-year sentence for harboring Haja Fakrudeen, an Indian national from Singapore who allegedly joined IS in Syria in January 2014 with his family. Fakrudeen and Moideen were accused of creating a terror module responsible for fundraising, organizing camps, recruiting, and training individuals for IS.

There is no evidence connecting Khaja Moideen and Ansar Meeran to any terrorist organisation including IS. There are no materials on record (to) show that they belonged to IS or that they were recruiting gullible youth for IS.

— Special NIA CourtDetailing the court's ruling on the absence of proof linking the accused to IS activities.

The special NIA court in Chennai ruled on June 10 that "there is no evidence connecting Khaja Moideen and Ansar Meeran to any terrorist organisation including IS." The judgment further stated, "There are no materials on record (to) show that they belonged to IS or that they were recruiting gullible youth for IS." The court found no evidence suggesting the accused hatched a criminal conspiracy to join IS or wage war against Syria.

There is no evidence, worth credence, suggestive of the fact that accused persons hatched a criminal conspiracy to join IS and also to recruit other persons to wage war against Syria.

— Special NIA CourtFurther elaborating on the lack of evidence for a conspiracy to join IS and wage war.

Further emphasizing the NIA's failure, the court observed that even the testimony of approvers in the case did not implicate Moideen and Meeran in any terrorist activity. The evidence presented did not indicate any discussion related to terrorism or violence. The ruling highlighted that the prosecution failed to establish a "meeting of minds to commit an illegal act through illegal means," concluding that mere contact between individuals does not constitute a criminal conspiracy.

The evidence given by the approvers would show that there was no discussion of anything linked to terrorism or any form of violence.

— Special NIA CourtHighlighting the inadequacy of evidence even from approvers in the case.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog