GUWAHATI: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here sentenced key accused Md. Kamruz Zaman to life imprisonment in a major Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terror conspiracy case in Assam. The verdict marks a significant blow to the Pakistan-backed terror group’s operations in the Northeast. The Islamist terrorist Md. Kamruj Zaman, alias Dr Huraifah, alias Kamarudfin, from the Jamunamukh area of Hojai district, was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018. The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorist was awarded three separate simple imprisonment sentences with a maximum of life imprisonment. The sentences that will run concurrently include imprisonment for life under section 18 of the UA(P) Act, 1967, and 5 years of simple imprisonment each under section 18B of the UA(P) Act and related IPC sections, along with a fine of Rs 5000 or additional simple imprisonment of 3 months.
The case was registered in NIA Guwahati in 2018 of Jamunamukh, Hojai, related to a conspiracy by Kamruj Zaman to raise a module of the prescribed Hizbul Mujahideen terror organisation in Assam to carry out terrorist activities. The conspiracy was aimed at striking terror into the minds of the Islamic people of Assam. As per the NIA investigation, Kamruz recruited the accused Shahnawaz Alom, Saidul Alam and Omar Faruk, along with others, for the purpose.
The anti-terror agency had, in March, charged five persons. Shahnawaz Alom, Saidul Alam and Omar Faruk were convicted after they pleaded guilty; the fifth accused, identified as Jaynal Uddin, had died of illness during the course of the trial.
On 28th December, Assam Police’s Special Task Force (STF) launched Operation Pratighat, swooping down across the state and into neighbouring Tripura and busted the Jihadi network of Imam Mahmadur Kafila (IMK). 10 Islamist jihadis were apprehended in various Assam hideouts, with the 11th caught red-handed in Tripura—thwarting a major terror plot in its tracks.
Bangladesh-based Islamist terror groups are trying to create unrest in the Northeast region. Imam Mahamudur Kafila (IMK) is an offshoot of Jamatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), a banned Islamic terror outfit. IMK was founded in the year 2018 by Jewel Mahmud @ Imam Mahmud Habibullah @ Sohail. This ex-JMB terrorist, Imam Mahmud, floated the IMK terror module to propagate the Gazwa e Hind. Indian intelligence agencies received inputs that, following the regime change in Bangladesh in August 2024, the JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) leadership instructed IMK to activate and expand the Indian module of the terror group. After the instructions, Bangladeshi nationals Omar and Khalid were assigned to activate the Assam module of IMK and Nasimuddin alias Tamim was assigned as the head of the Assam cell.
All communication between the IMK Assam module and its handlers in Bangladesh was conducted via secure social media platforms. One such group name was ‘Purba Akash’ (East Sky), which served as the primary communication and recruitment platform. Persons belonging to West Bengal, Assam and Tripura were radicalised, recruited and financially mobilised and connected with the terror group, including persons possessing Indian passports and having prior visits to Bangladesh and known former members of proscribed terror outfits.
IMK is propagating the Gazwatul Hind ideology through violent Jihad and armed conquest of India through dedicated websites and secured social media platforms. IMK is using mosques in Assam, Tripura and West Bengal to radicalise people and advocates for armed violence in India. On December 28, 2024, IMK held a meeting in a mosque in Barpeta where jihadi Nasiruddin and Monirul Islam made statements advocating violent armed struggle against India to stop atrocities against Muslims. IMK collected substantial funds in Assam, West Bengal, and Tripura through cash donations or Bank deposits and regularly transferred them to Bangladesh via Hawala networks.
