2 arrested in Murshidabad for alleged links with Bangladeshi terror group ABT | Kolkata

Two youths were arrested from Nowda in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Monday for their alleged links with Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a Bangladesh-based terror group, during a joint raid by sleuths of the Special Task Force of West Bengal and Assam police.

The duo has been identified as Sajibul Islam, 24 and Mustakim Mandal, 26.

This comes days after a terror module was busted by the STF of three states — Assam West Bengal and Kerala. One of the persons arrested by the Assam STF was identified as Md Sad Radi alias Shab Sheikh (36) from Bangladesh’s Rajshahi district.

“Sajibul Islam is the cousin of Sad Radi. Investigations also revealed that Radi had stayed in Murshidabad for several days with fake identity cards. Sajibul had helped him,” said a police officer.

On December 18, West Bengal and Assam STF arrested two persons from Hariharpara in Murshidabad — Minarul Sheikh, 48 and Md Abbas Ali, 29. They were accused of running a “sleeper cell” of the ABT.

While Mandal used to work as a carpenter, Islam used to work as a mason. Investigation has revealed that the duo used to take instructions from Radi over phone and work accordingly to encourage local youths to join the ABT.

ABT was banned in at least four countries – India, Bangladesh, UK and USA – between 2013 and 2015. The group was behind the murder of multiple bloggers between 2013 and 2015 and was also behind the Ashulia bank heist in Bangladesh in which eight people were killed.

The primary objective of the ABT’s sleeper cells was to encourage local youths in anti-National activities and recruit them. They were also arranging arms and ammunitions. The sleeper-cell was primarily active in Murshidabad and Alipurduar districts.

“We are a poor family. A few men came late in the night and asked for my son. They searched our house and took away my son. They also took two mobile phones. He is a school dropout. They didn’t say why they were taking away my son. Is my son a thief or a dacoit?” Afroza Bibi, mother of Mandal, told media persons on Tuesday.