Under the garb of an Arabic teacher, terrorist from Bangladesh, recruited radicalised youth in Assam

New Delhi, Apr 11: The National Investigation Agency has learnt that a Bangladeshi national who entered Assam illegally was trying to set up an Al Qaeda module in eastern India.

On Sunday, the NIA conducted raids at 11 locations in Barpeta and Bongaigaon districts of Assam in a case linked to a module of the Al Qaeda in the Sub-Continent (AQIS).

On the radar of the NIA was one Saiful Islam who had entered illegally into Assam. He was working as an Arabic teacher at the Dhakaliapara Masjid. Under the garb of working as an Arabic teacher, he was actively motivating the youth to join the outfit and work for the sleeper cells, the NIA learnt.

An Intelligence Bureau official tells OneIndia that they have been witnessing enhanced activity by the Bangladesh based terrorists. Their primary intention is to recruit, radicalise and try and destabilise the BJP government in the state.

With the BJO government assuming office for a second term, there are intelligence inputs suggesting that Jihadi forces are trying to destabilise the state. Over the past couple of weeks, both the state and central agencies have stepped up operations in the state to keep a check on such elements.

In March the Madhya Pradesh police arrested four members of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh in connection with the Bodhgaya blasts case. In this case it was found that they had entered India through Bengal.

In recent times there have been several arrests of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh who have entered the country through West Bengal and Assam. There have also been instances of terrorists entering through Bengal and then making their way into Assam.

Back in 2012, the Intelligence Bureau had reported that the issue was catching up like wildfire in the states of West Bengal, Kerala, Telangana (then AP) and Karnataka. The report stated that there are all sorts of people. Many are here in search of a livelihood, but then there are many who indulge in illegal activities such as smuggling as drugs and sometimes arms.

They come into the country through West Bengal and gradually move into other parts of the country.

While touts and middlemen help them with documents, there are others who take advantage of their poor living conditions and lure them with money in order to carry out illegal activities.