Probe reveals Coimbatore car bomb blast was a suicide attack

COIMBATORE: Sleuths investigating Sunday's car explosion in front of a temple in Coimbatore believe the driver, Jameesha Mubin, was a suicide bomber and that his inexperience with explosives saved the locality from severe damage.
A source close to the investigation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a witness had told police that Mubin stopped the car in front of the temple at Kottaimedu.In minutes there was an explosion and Mubin came out of the car covered in flames. His charred body was found a few feet from the car.
Investigators say there were a lot of houses near the Sangameswarar temple at Kottaimedu and a big explosion would have caused heavy damage. They say Mubin was radicalised after reading ISIS literature, but did not get any training in terrorist tactics. He read up on the internet about bomb-making. After interrogating the six arrested accomplices, investigators believe Mubin thought the bomb will devastate an area of 50 to 100 metres radius, including the temple and some residential buildings.
On Saturday night, Mubin and two accomplices - Mohammed Azarudheen, 27, of Ukkadam, and K Afsar Khan, 28, of Vincent Road - filled explosive material (potassium nitrate, aluminium powder, sulphur, charcoal), nails and ball bearings in three steel drums and put them and two LPG cylinders inside the car.
Police have CCTV camera footage of the trio carrying these to the car. The Coimbatore police had collected CCTV camera footage of the movements of Mubin and the two accomplices. They had carried out recce of Koniamman temple on Big Bazaar Street and Puliyakulam Mundhi Vinayagar temple, sources said. They said the trio had visited an LPG booking centre at Gandhi Park in the city where they procured two cylinders. The booking centre also issued a receipt for the gas cylinders.
The trio visited an old market area at Lorrypet where they procured three steel drums. The CCTV footage of the trio was collected from the shop.
A former National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer Sivakumar, who is presently serving with the Coimbatore city police, played a vital role in the investigation.
"The former NIA officer, who questioned Mubin in 2019, acted swiftly and carried out a search at the residence of Mubin and around 75 kg of material to make explosives was seized," said a source.
"Mubin or the six arrested people may have international connections. The police cannot establish the international links. The NIA is the agency that can prove it," said the source.