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

National

Assam police detained two alleged terrorists in the Goalpara district on Saturday. The accused are thought to have ties with Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terror organisations.

After being interrogated by police for many hours, two people who were detained have been identified as Abdus Subhan, imam of Tinkunia Shantipur Mosque under Mornoi police station, and Jalaluddin Sheikh, imam of Tilapara Natun Mosque under Matia police station in Goalpara.

Both of the aforementioned individuals were detained following hours of interrogation, according to V.V. Rakesh Reddy, Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Goalpara district.

According to the SP, “In July of this year, we received information from the detained Abbas Ali, who is also connected to Jihadi groups. We discovered during the questioning that they had direct connections to the Assamn AQIS/ABT modules in Barpeta and Morigaon.”

He further went on to say that “A number of incriminating materials relating to Al-Qaeda, Jihadi elements, posters, books, among other papers, as well as the mobile phones, SIM cards, and ID cards, were recovered during the house searches of the accused suspects.”

According to the top Assam police officer, defendants also provided logistical support to the Jihadi militants who arrived from Bangladesh.

“The terrorists that were caught had provided sanctuary to the terrorists from Bangladesh in Goalpara, and the Bangladeshi nationals are currently at large. In December 2019 at Sundarpur Tilapara Madrassa under the Matia police station, the accused individuals hosted a Dharma Sabha and invited several Bangladeshi nationals with connections to AQIS to speak as guests ” police officer stated.

He also said that both detained people were involved in providing logistical assistance and housing for Bangladeshi nationals who are now at large.