Continuing the crackdown on Jihadi terrorists operating from mosques and madrasas in Assam, two more imams have been arrested by police for links with Islamic terror groups. The two Imams were arrested by the Goalpara Police in Assam as part of a broad anti-terror operation against the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and the Islamic terrorist group Al Qaeda Indian Subcontinent. After being questioned by police for many hours, Jalaluddin Sheikh (49), the imam of Tilapara Natun Masjid, and Abdus Subhan (43), the imam of Tinkunia Shantipur Masjid, Mornoi, were both taken into police custody.
When the two Imams’ residences were searched, authorities said they found a significant quantity of evidence related to Al Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), as well as Jihadi literature, posters, books, and other materials including mobile phones, SIM cards, and ID cards. The two people who were arrested were in contact regularly with the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) units in Barpeta and Morigaon. ABT serves as a conduit for Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent.
Two suspected terrorists linked with Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) were arrested by police in Goalpara district last night: Assam Police pic.twitter.com/Zzrqey91k2
— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2022
In accordance with Sections 120(B)/121/121(A) of the IPC and RW Sections 18/18 (B)/19/20 UA(P) Act, a case has been filed at the Matia Police Station, and an investigation has now commenced.
The suspects organised a Dharma Sabha in December 2019 at the Sundarpur Tilapara Madrassa, Matia PS, where numerous Bangladeshi nationals with AQIS ties were invited as guest speakers, the pair revealed during interrogation.
Additionally, they were active in offering logistical support and hosting a number of fugitive Bangladeshi nationals. The two also acknowledged recruiting Ansars/Sleeper Cells and being AQIS members. They also developed strong connections with the AQIS/Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) modules in Barpeta and Morigaon districts.
Addressing a press conference last night, Goalpara SP VK Rakesh Reddy said that both of the accused are directly linked to ABT, and Abdus Subhan has been associated with it since 2018. He also said that the two imams were in regular contact with others who have been arrested from Barpeta and Marigaon districts for jihadi links. The police officer said that Sheikh and Subhan were working for recruiting youths in the area for jihad.
According to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, five modules of the terrorist group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) have been disbanded in the previous five months with the assistance of other investigating agencies.
The CM said that due to the police busting multiple Islamist modules composed of Bangladeshi immigrants, jihadi activities in Assam had become a serious worry. Police in other states have also disbanded a number of jihadi and terror modules.
According to the chief minister, ABT members interact with one another using highly developed chat applications that employ peer-to-peer encryption, making it exceedingly challenging to monitor their online activity. Peer-to-peer encryption, according to Assam CM, is more advanced than end-to-end encryption, and Al Qaeda also uses such applications. They almost always uninstall the chat applications after using them and never make phone calls for ABT-related conversions.
