Assam police arrests 35 persons linked with Al Qaeda; Congress cries foul

Assam police have arrested 35 persons linked with Al Qaeda from different parts of the state.

Assam Congress MLA Abdur Rashid Mandal alleged, that the government has created Jihadi, Al-Qaeda, Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) issues to dilute and divert other burning issues.

Congress MLA Abdur Rashid Mandal also questioned the Assam police's credibility and said that he doesn't think, the Muslims of Assam can involve in Jihadi activities.

"The father of one among four arrested persons linked with AQIS/ABT from Goalpara district is still working in CRPF. I don't think that the youth whose father is still working in CRPF, can involve in Jihadi activities. There are some thieves, and dacoits in Muslim society and some people are involved in illegal activities. But, I don't think that the Muslim people can do anti-national activities," Abdur Rashid Mandal said.

He demanded the government that the hearing process should be done in a fast-track court.

Earlier on Thursday, the Assam Police arrested another person linked with Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) in Assam's Goalpara district.This is the third arrest made by Assam Police in this case.

VV Rakesh Reddy, Superintendent of Police of Goalpara district told ANI that, the person identified as Abdus Suahan has been arrested from the Jogighopa police station area of Bongaigaon district.

"He is very closely linked with two Imams who were arrested earlier," Reddy added.

Earlier in the day, Assam police accessed some significant information about the plan of Al-Qaeda in the wake of the arrest of two Imams arrested from Goalpara district and informed about the anticipated possibilities of some more arrests soon.

A senior official of Assam police informed that six Bangladeshi terrorists who entered Assam a ew years back had targeted people of Char areas (the sandbars or small sandy islands) and some remote areas dominated by the Muslim community people.

As per the information accessed by the Assam police, the Bangladeshi terrorists linked with AQIS/ABT had recruited many people in the state and indoctrinated many others.