2 suspected terrorists with Al-Qaeda links arrested in Assam’s Goalpara: Police

Two suspects linked to Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Bangladesh-based terror outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) were arrested in Goalpara district of Assam on Saturday, police said.

VV Rakesh Reddy, superintendent of police, Goalpara, said that the suspects had allegedly given support and shelter to jihadis who came from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The arrested persons have been identified as Abdus Subhan and Jalaluddin Sheikh, both Imam of mosques in Goalpara. They have confessed to being members of AQIS and of recruiting sleeper cells in the district, Reddy told reporters.

The official said that the arrested persons have a direct connection with terror modules of AQIS and ABT that the Assam police recently busted in Barpeta and Morigaon districts.

“We have gotten input in July this year from arrested Abbas Ali who is also linked with Jihadi elements. During the interrogation, we found that they were directly connected with Barpeta and Morigaon modules of AQIS/ABT in Assam,” ANI quoted the official as saying.

“During the house searches of the accused persons, a number of incriminating material related to the Al-Qaeda, Jihadi elements, posters, books among other documents were seized along with the mobile phones, SIM cards and ID cards,” he added.

“During the house searches of the accused persons, a number of incriminating material related to the Al-Qaeda, Jihadi elements, posters, books among other documents were seized along with the mobile phones, SIM cards and ID cards,” he added

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said earlier this month the northeastern state is becoming a hotbed for Islamic fundamentalists, referring to the arrests made in connection with terror modules.

He said the police recovered high-end electronic devices used by sleeper cells in Barpeta, Bongaigaon and Morigaon and incriminating jihadi literature used for indoctrinating and radicalizing youth to join the outfit.

“…It has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that Assam is becoming a hotbed for Islamic fundamentalists. When you bust 5 modules and the whereabouts of the other 5 Bangladeshi nationals are still not known, then you can imagine the gravity,” Sarma told a press conference.