Eight arrested in Assam's Barpeta for links with Bangladesh-based terror groups

The Assam police on Thursday arrested eight people for their alleged links with Bangladesh-based terror group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). All eight arrested are residents of Barpea district, who were running a terror module in the region. All the arrested have been accused for indoctrination, recruitment, training and collection of funds for terrorist activities.

Taking to Twitter, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on the development, “As an outcome of close watch being kept on suspicious activities in Lower Assam. @assampolice busted, another module of AQIS supported ABT module in Barpeta district and arrested 8 persons for indoctrination, recruitment, training and collection of funds for terrorist activities."

Meanwhile, the Assam Police along with the Central Agencies busted a terror module operating in Assam. 11 persons including a Madrassa teacher was arrested for their alleged links with terror outfits Al Qaeda in Indian Sub-Continent (AQIS) and Bangladesh-based Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT).

Among the arrested accused, one Afsaruddin Bhuyan from Morigaon is speculated to be linked with AQIS/ABT while one Mufti who is an important financial conduit was running Madrassas named Jamiul Huda Madrassa at Sahariapam and Banat Madrassa in Horuchala, Morigaon.

Earlier, an individual identified as Abbas Ali, was detained by the Goalpara Police for links with global terror outfit AQIS/ABT and later arrested. Ali is also accused of sheltering a sleeper cell militant identified as Mehboob, who came to Assam last year in the month of December and is suspected to be active in the region in recruiting youths in terror groups.