Five persons including a Bangladesh national were arrested in Assam's Barpeta district for their alleged links with Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a terror outfit based in neighbouring Bangladesh having links with Al-Qaeda.
Assam director general of police, Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta told reporters that five were arrested on Friday night in Howly, Barpeta and Kalgachia in Barpeta in western Assam based on an intelligence report shared by the special branch of the state police
"During preliminary enquiry conducted so far, it has been found that Saiful Islam alias Harun Rashid alias Mohammad Suman, who is a citizen of Bangladesh having illegally entered India was working as a teacher of Dhakaliapara Masjid in Barpeta district. Islam had successfully indoctrinated and motivated four others to join the module of the Ansarullah Bangla Team with a view to developing Barpeta district as a base for Jihadi work and unlawful activities of Al-Qaeda and its related organization," Mahanta said.
He said their personal digital accessories including mobile phones have been seized for further investigation and unearthed digital evidence about their activities so far and plans in the state. "They were planning to indoctrinate more persons to expand the network," he said.
Saiful is a resident of Araihazar village in Narayanganj district in Bangladesh. The four others have been identified as Khairul Islam, 27 of Balapathar village in Kalgachia, Badshah Suleiman Khan, 28, Naushad Ali, both hailing from Kharbali village in Kalgachia and Taimur Rajman Khan, a resident of Dhakaliapara village in Howly.
Assam shares a 263 km border with Bangladesh.
Mahanta said some "incriminating" documents have been seized from their possession. But no arms have been found from them.
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