Hizbul’s tentacles in Assam widens as another operative is nabbed

Guwahati, Sep 16: The police have arrested one Shah Newaz, an associate of the Hizbul Mujahideen operative who was picked up from Uttar Pradesh last week.

The UP ATS had arrested Qamar ur Zaman after it was found that he was surveying targets and also planned on carrying out a major terror attack at a temple.

Police sources tell OneIndia that Zaman was helped by Newaz and the two were childhood friends. The police said that Zaman had visited Assam last month and met with several persons including Newaz.

The police suspect that the mobile phone and a SIM card found on Zaman was purchased by Newaz.

The police source said that they suspect that Zaman had visited Assam to build up a strong network.

The Hizbul Mujahideen has been making attempts to broaden its network in Assam.

OneIndia had reported on September 14 that the Hizbul Mujahideen was making desperate attempts to gain traction in Assam. It had planted its operative in UP to carry out an attack so that it could send across a message which in turn would help recruitments in Assam.

This outfit which is sponsored by the ISI was in fact told specifically to target the states bordering Bangladesh as there was a better chance of traction. Issues such as NRC and also the case of the Rohingya Muslims would be used as propaganda material to set up shop in these states, the IB officer said.

Qamer, who was arrested from Kanpur's Chakeri area, had gone missing from Assam. In a video recovered from his mobile, police say, he can be seen surveying temples in the city. He was active on social media and had posted a picture of himself in April 2018 with an AK-47, after which he was under our radar.

The photo in which Qamer, who is from Jamunamukh in Assam's Nagaon district, is seen holding an automatic rifle recently went viral on social media.

The caption of the photo suggested he had joined Hizbul, which reads: "Org: Hizbul Mujahideen; Name: Qamer Uzzaman; S/O Ibrahim Zaman; R/O: Assam India; Code: Dr Hurairah; Qul: MA English."

Qamer is educated with knowledge of computers. He however failed the BA third year exam. He had undergone training in Pakistan in 2017 and had joined the Hizbul Mujahideen there, Singh further said.

Sources say that he had come down to Kanpur and had carried out a reconnaissance of a temple. He was plotting a fedayeen strike on the temple. He was planning on targeting a huge crowd, the police officer also added.