Kolkata, Sep 19 (UNI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday took the
custody of six terrorists associated with Pakistan-sponsored module of Al-Qaeda after
conducting night-long raids at several hideouts in West Bengal's Murshidabad district,
while Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and the Opposition upped the ante against the
Mamata Banerjee Government for the "alarming decline" in law and order.
The NIA brought all the six al Qaeda operatives to the city from Murshidabad and
produced them before Bankshall court, which ordered the investigating agency to take
the arrested into its custody until September 24.
The NIA is expected to take them to Delhi on transit remand and interrogate them
before producing the operatives to Patiala House court there on September 24.
Preempting possible terrorist attacks in various parts of the country, including the
National Capital Region (NCR), NIA on Saturday arrested nine terrorists associated
with Pakistan-sponsored module of Al-Qaeda after conducting simultaneous raids at
several locations at Ernakulam (Kerala) and Murshidabad (West Bengal).
NIA had learnt about an inter-state module of Al-Qaeda operatives at various
locations in India including West-Bengal and Kerala.
The group was planning to undertake terrorist attacks at vital installations in India with
an aim to kill innocent people and strike terror in their minds.
Accordingly, NIA registered a case No. RC-31/2020/NIA/DLI on September 11 and
initiated investigation.
NIA arrested six terrorists from West-Bengal and three terrorists from Kerala in the
early morning raids.
Large quantity of incriminating materials including digital devices, documents, jihadi
literature, sharp weapons, country-made firearms, a locally fabricated body armour,
articles and literature used for making home-made explosive devices have been seized
from their possession.
As per preliminary investigation, these individuals were radicalised by Pakistan-based
Al-Qaeda terrorists on social media and were motivated to undertake attacks at multiple
places including the National Capital Region.
For this purpose, the module was actively indulging in fund raising and a few members
of gang were planning to travel to New Delhi to procure arms and ammunition.
These arrests have pre-empted possible terrorist attacks in various parts of the country.
The details of the arrested accused are as under:
(i)​Murshid Hasan, currently a resident of Ernakulam, Kerala.
(ii)​Iyakub Biswas, currently a resident of Ernakulam, Kerala.
(iii)​Mosaraf Hossen, currently a resident of Ernakulam, Kerala.
(iv)​Najmus Sakib, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.
(v) Abu Sufiyan, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.
(vi)​Mainul Mondal, a resident of Murshidabad West Bengal.
(Vii)​Leu Yean Ahmed, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal .
(Viii)​ Al Mamun Kamal, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.
(Ix)​Atitur Rehman, a resident of Murshidabad, West Bengal.
It might be mentioned that a special NIA court in August
2019 convicted 19 accused in the Khagragarh blast, which occurred inWest Bengal’s Burdwan
district in October 2014, killing two people.
The investigation was handed over to the NIA, which in its first chargesheet in March 2015
described it as a “conspiracy of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh to overthrow the existing democratic government in Bangladesh through violent terrorist acts.”
Charges were framed against 31 accused in July 2016 under the Unlawful Activities
Prevention Act, Section 125 of the IPC, for waging war against an Asian power.
Meanwhile, targetting the Director General of Police, Mr Dhankhar stated, "How far distanced
is DGP @WBPolice from reality is cause of worry. His ‘Ostrich Stance’ is very disturbing.
Appreciate (the) role of policemen in general-they r (are) working in difficult situations."
"Problem is with those at helm who r ( are) unmindful of conduct and r ( are) politically
guided," he tweeted.
The Governor said the State's Director General of Police responded to him on the
development by saying, “West Bengal police firmly adheres to the path laid down by law.
There is no discrimination for or against anyone in an extra legal sense”.
"Police @MamataOfficial busy in carrying out political errands and taking on opposition,"
he said.
"Those at helm @WBPolice cannot escape their accountability for this alarming decline
in law and order," he added.
"State has become home to illegal bomb making that has potential to unsettle democracy,"
the Governor averred.
"Compromised democracy is destructive of civil life, " the Governor said adding,"
Democracy @MamataOfficial stressed as police and bureaucracy politicized."
BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha alleged that West Bengal has become a haven for
militants.
Taking note of the NIA arresting terrorists, Sinha said, " Extremists are coming to the
state from various places and masterminding sabotage considering the state safe. "
He alleged that the State Government couldn't take action against the extremists keeping
in mind the vote bank.
He further complained that Bangladesh has become a new place for border extremists.
" The Centre has repeatedly asked the state for land to provide barbed wire at the
Bangladesh border, but the State Government is yet to provide, " he stated.
Party's state president Dilip Ghosh said, " Militant activity is on the rise in the state with
the help of the State Government. "
" Whenever an incident occurs, the state administration tries to suppress it. Earlier,
explosions have taken place in different districts of the state several times which the
administration has projected as normal incident, " Ghosh remarked.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury expressed grave
concern over his constituency’s links with the terror outfit.
Chowdhury, who represents the Baharampur constituency in Murshidabad of West
Bengal, was worried over the terror links of his district following the arrests.
The Congress leader said NIA must conduct a thorough probe into the links with
Pakistan-based terror outfit Al-Qaeda.
Chowdhury, also state Congress president, said, "It is a matter of great concern that
al-Qaeda militants were captured from Murshidabad. Murshidabad has been named for
militant activity before. But I am deeply concerned about Bengal's links to terrorist
organisations like al-Qaeda."
"Al-Qaeda is actually targeting these poor and innocent people. There is a message
going on in India right now due to communal polarisation, and this is what fundamentalist
organisations are using. Otherwise, we would not have known how weak the intelligence
of the state is," he noted.
"The border districts are getting weaker and weaker. The only job of the police now is
to save the Trinamool. The efficiency of the police is eroding. The danger will only
increase," Chowdhury observed.
Ed's: Pls Pick Up Suitably From Earlier Series.
UNI SJC-PC BM