JMB operative arrested in Chennai, more inroads into Burdhwan, Bodhgaya blast cases

Chennai, Sep 10: A terrorist suspected to be associated with the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh has been arrested from Chennai.

The arrest comes in the wake of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) making several arrests from in connection with the Bodhgaya and Burdwan blasts case from South India.

The arrest was made on the basis of the investigation of Habibur Rehman, a close aide of Jahidul Islam arrested by the NIA last year from Ramanagara near Bengaluru. The sleuths of the NIA are currently questioning Rehman and during the interrogation, it came to light that he had travelled to several places across the country.

He told the NIA during interrogation that he had travelled to Bengal, Bengaluru, Kerala and Chennai. During the interrogation of Islam to the NIA had learnt that he had travelled to several places across the country and the agency suspects that it was to strengthen the activities of the Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Rehman according to the NIA landed in Bengaluru in 2015. He then took up a job with a contractor in K R Puram. However, following an NIA crackdown which led to arrests in Maharashtra, he moved out of Bengaluru. The case of Islam too is similar. He was residing in Bengaluru and following the crackdown, he moved to Ramanagara, the NIA has learnt.

NIA officials tell OneIndia that these persons had a free run all these years. They would mingle with the local population and take shelter. They were so convincing that their contractor for whom they worked had no idea about their activities. The NIA is now trying to ascertain, where these persons had transported the bombs that they had prepared. It may be recalled that hours after Habibur's arrest, two bombs were found in a drain at Ramanagara.

Rehman was a close associate of senior JMB leader Jahidul Islam alias Kausar. He was also associated with other JMB leaders like Rahamatullah and Moulana Yusuf. He was an active member of JMB, Bolpur Module in West Bengal. He had attended a number of training camps conducted by JMB.