New Delhi, (Samajweekly) The intelligence agencies have flagged the presence of the modules of terror group Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) in Assam and neighbouring states through Bangladeshi jihadis.
According to sources, quoting the intelligence inputs, the AQIS is trying to establish itself firmly in the northeastern states with the help of a few terror groups in Bangladesh and this needs to be checked by the states’ police.
The inputs suggested a particular religious group which is actively involved in helping Bangladeshi nationals to sneak into India through the states on the Bangladesh border.
The sources in the security set up said that the Centre has shared the intelligence inputs with the northeastern states and asked them to ramp up the identification of such elements.
The officials in the security set up added that despite the support of Al Qaeda founder Ayman al-Zawahiri and the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS), the AQIS could not establish itself in India barring a few Kashmiris who were sympathizers of the AQIS but that was limited to raising their banners during the anti-government protests in 2016-17.
These terror elements need to be identified and neutralized at the earliest, the officials added.
Recent arrests made by the Assam police had five people, including a Bangladeshi national who is linked to an important Bangladeshi jihadist organization affiliated to the AQIS.
The sources revealed that the arrested Bangladeshi national has disclosed his links with the terror outfits in Bangladesh. They said that he illegally entered India and worked as a teacher in Dhakliyapara mosque under Hauli police station of Barpeta district in Assam.
On Sunday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that several jihadi terror modules are active in Assam and the state police is working to bust them.
Due to the strict anti-terror policy of the Sheikh Hasina led Bangladesh government, the AQIS could not establish itself there despite the support of local terror outfits.
