Bangladesh national, four other Islamic terrorists arrested in Assam for their links with terror group affiliated to Al-Qaeda

"Organiser" had reported earlier about the radicalisation and Islamist activities in Assam. Arrested Saiful Islam alias Harun recruited Khairul Islam, Badshah Suleiman Khan, Noushad Ali and Taimur Rahman Khan and was trying to set up a base for Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) in Assam.

GUWAHATI: Assam Police on Friday night nabbed five Islamic terrorists linked with Bangladesh-based radical Islamic group, Ansar Al-Islam, which is known to be the Bangladesh chapter of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), in different parts of Barpeta district in lower Assam. "Organiser" has earlier reported that a radical Islamist group linked with Bangladesh based terrorist networks is trying to set up a base in Assam.

One of the arrested, Saiful Islam alias Harun Rashid alias Mohammad Suman is a Bangladeshi citizen and hails from the Narayanganj district of the neighbouring country. Top sources Assam Police said that Saiful Islam, was working as a teacher at Dhakaliapara Masjid in Barpeta district.

“Saiful Islam after entering India has been indoctrinating Muslim youths in different parts of Assam towards jihadi activities and religious fundamentalism. Terrorist Saiful has already spread its roots in the state, especially in the lower and middle Assam districts, the source said.

The arrest was made based on an intelligence report shared by the Special Branch of Assam from Howly, Barpeta and Kalgachia area of the state.

The other four are Khairul Islam (27), Badshah Suleiman Khan (28) and Noushad Ali (40) of Kalgachia and Taimur Rahman Khan (54) of Howly. Assam Police in a statement said that Saiful Islam had successfully indoctrinated and motivated these four to join the module of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), which is the earlier name of Ansar al-Islam. Police sources said that terrorist Saiful Islam alias Harun was planning to make the migrant Muslim dominated Barpeta district a Jihadi centre and spread Jihad to other Muslim areas of Assam. He was in constant touch with the masterminds of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) based in Bangladesh.

A special team of Assam police are now investigating the matter furthermore to crack the jihadi network set up by the arrested terrorists in the state.