Guwahati: Islamist terrorist planning blasts in multiple places of the country were thwarted by Assam police STF. Assam police foiled a major terrorist attack by Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). In continuing operations against the recently busted Jehadi module, the STF Assam arrested two notorious Islamist terrorists in Kokrajhar district of the state. The arrested terrorists were identified as Abul Zahar Sheikh (30), a resident of Joypur, Namapara and Abdul Mirdha of Serfangguri in the Kokrajhar district. Special DGP of Assam police Harmeet Singh said that the arrested terrorists were planning a big conspiracy against the nation. They were planning a big terror attack in our country.
Based on the investigation of STF and many arrests on 19 December, police were acting swiftly to root out the terror network. Based on specific inputs, STF raided the house of Suleiman Ali in Kokrajhar and recovered a huge cache of explosives, arms and ammunition. The STF team seized 4 handmade rifles, 34 rounds of ammunition, 24 blank cartridges, Other incriminating items including ready IED (unprimed) along with a circuit of detonator and electronic switch, iron caches and solid iron to use in bombs, which were used in triggered explosions. STF investigation revealed that the terrorists were indulged in attack training using the hand made rifles which lookalike AK47.
Special DGP Singh said that after the successful operation a major terror attack has been averted. STF investigations also revealed that the motive of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) was to create a huge terror network in Assam and other states of India and cause terror in the country under the direct instructions from their terror masterminds based in Bangladesh and Pakistan. He further said that Assam police has foiled the first attempt to cause terror in India by global terror outfits like Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), but the war is on.
Earlier, STF arrested 8 Islamic terrorists in a multi-state operation conducted on 17 and 18 December. The arrested terrorists are linked with Bangladesh based terrorist’s organisation Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a wing of Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).
Operation ‘Praghat’ was launched by STF Assam and several teams of STF raided in Kerala, West Bengal and Assam. 3 Islamic terrorists were arrested from Kerala and West Bengal and 5 were arrested from Assam during the operation.
Notorious ABT terrorist Mohammed Shak Radi alias Mohammed Shab Sheikh was arrested by STF from Kerala. The arrested terrorist entered Indian territory in November. He entered India to executive several anti-India operations under the direct instruction of ABT commander Farhan Israq. He entered India through the West Bengal border in November and later visited Assam and Kerala to activate the sleeper cells of the terrorist outfit.
