Burdwan blast: Operation not possible without local leaders' help, says Rejaul Karim

Rejaul Karim who was arrested by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) in connection with the Burdwan blast is handing out vital information right from political connections to training camps. Karim who is a key member of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) says that without the support of the local leaders they would have never been able to set up so many modules in West Bengal.

Karim tells the NIA that all the material to prepare the bombs were procured locally with the help of local operatives as transporting it from Bangladesh would have been risky.

Working with the local leaders:

During the initial part of the probe, the NIA had found that several local leaders had offered support to this module of the JMB. Karim says that the ploy to rent out houses belonging to local leaders was an intentional one.

They felt that they would be protected if they stayed close to the local leaders. They had also assured us of help when it came to procuring material to preparing the bombs. We found that there was a great demand for bombs in West Bengal especially in the village levels.

During out preparation we were always told by the local leaders that we need to destroy all evidence immediately if there was a chance of us being caught. On October 2 when the bomb accidentally went off, the first thing that the operatives did was to try and destroy evidence.

The Simulia training camp:

Karim says that this training camp at the madrasa in Simulia was an important one. It was here that new recruits came in and were told about the operation. Right from preparing bombs and also the future plan of a fidayeen styled strike was discussed over here, Karim tells the NIA.

The NIA is in possession of a video of the camp and has sent it for forensic analysis. Some images are hazy and we want to have them digitized an NIA official informed oneindia. Karim has told us that he was part of this camp.

8,000 files being examined:

The NIA is also examining 8000 very crucial files found on the laptops of several accused. These are important files and contain operational details. They are said to have details of the hit list prepared by the JMB.

In addition to this the NIA also suspects that these files have the names of the local leaders and also other contacts. The money transfer, the procurement of material and also the amount spent on the cadres and accommodation are all part of these files.

We are also trying to see if these files contain the names of the various other modules set up by the JMB. Modules had been set up in Jharkhand and Assam. Moreover there are also modules down South which were used to accommodate cadres on the run from West Bengal.

The cover up:

Karim says that the immediate decision that they took after the bomb went off accidentally on October 2 at Burdwan was to destroy all the evidence. I was called by another operative Abdul Hakim who told me to evacuate all the people from the house.

However since a crowd had gathered there I was unable to go. I was then told by Hakim to leave West Bengal immediately. I went to Jharkhand and worked with a railway contractor over there.