A Guwahati court has sent eight members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a banned terrorist organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), to 10 days of police custody. The arrests were made by the Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police during an extensive counter-terrorism operation.
Arrest Details
Partha Sarathi Mahanta, IGP (STF), informed media that the accused were apprehended during “Operation Praghat,” a coordinated effort across Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala to dismantle ABT sleeper cells. The individuals include one Bangladeshi national, Md. Sad Radi (36), and seven Indian nationals.
Arrests and Locations:
- Md. Sad Radi alias Shab Seikh (Bangladeshi national): Arrested in Kerala with assistance from Kerala Police.
- Minarul Sheikh (40) and Md. Abbas Ali (33): Apprehended in West Bengal with assistance from local police.
- Five others, including Nur Islam Mandal (40) and Abdul Karim Mandal (30): Arrested in Assam’s Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts.
Operation Details
The STF filed an FIR under multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and the Passport Act, 1967, to charge the individuals for their involvement in terrorist activities. The operation uncovered:
- Four pen drives, incriminating documents, and mobile phones with evidence indicating cross-border communications.
- Evidence of sleeper-cell activities aimed at radicalizing individuals and organizing violent disruptions across India, particularly in Assam and West Bengal.
Role of the Arrested Individuals
The investigation revealed that the module, led by Md. Sad Radi, aimed to:
- Establish sleeper cells for covert operations.
- Recruit and indoctrinate individuals susceptible to extremist ideologies.
- Exploit local vulnerabilities to propagate radical ideologies.
The STF stated that the group communicated with entities based in Bangladesh and Pakistan, targeting strategic areas for subversive activities designed to cause widespread disruption and chaos.
Conclusion
This development highlights the Assam STF’s vigilance in counter-terrorism efforts and underscores the need for continued cooperation among states to dismantle such extremist networks operating within India.