NIA likely to take over probe plot to hit US, Israeli missions

NIA is likely to take over a case from Tamil Nadu Police to probe a terror plot allegedly being hatched to target the US and Israeli consulates in South India.

The Tamil Nadu government has in principle agreed to transfer the case in view of the fact that investigations need to be carried out in other countries including Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Maldives, official sources said.

A proposal for handing over the case to National Investigating Agency (NIA) was sent to the state police.

An effective coordination of Intelligence Bureau with foreign countries had led to unraveling of the case where Malaysia tipped the central agency about an alleged conspiracy being hatched from Sri Lanka about carrying an attack on US and Israeli consulates in Chennai and Bangalore.

After further probe, the central security agency found alleged involvement of a Sri Lankan national Sakir Hussain who was arrested with the help of Tamil Nadu Police on April 29.
Malaysia had stumbled upon the case when its Special Unit was probing money laundering and human trafficking cases.

Hussain was alleged to be talking to ISI officers and planning to carry out terror strikes on the two consulates.

The sources claimed that after he was arrested, Hussain named some of his accomplices in Sri Lanka and Malaysia besides identifying his handler posted at Pakistan High Commission in Colombo.

Acting on the tip off, Malaysian government arrested one more person identified Mohammad Hossaini, another Sri Lankan, in May who is also believed to have been tasked to arrange for passage of two terrorist into India through Maldives, they said.