Guwahati: The Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to unearth the terror module being operated by Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) in different districts of Assam.
The anti-terror agency has registered an FIR, which stated that the module of AQIS was “active in different districts of Assam”, having links with Bangladesh-based terror outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT).
AQIS, a branch of the banned terror outfit Al Qaeda, established in 2014, is reportedly operating in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
The group seeks to wage jihad in order to establish an Islamic state.
According to the FIR registered by NIA, the objective of the module is to “propagate terror in Indian territory, radicalise likeminded youth and carry out recruitment to wage war against the Union of India, with a view to overthrow the democratically elected government by establishing the ‘Rule of Khilafat’ (Sharia Law) in India as well as to wage war against Bangladesh, an Asiatic neighbour on friendly terms with India and to implement ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, with the help of recruits from India”.
‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ is a term used by terror outfits to justify their audacious terror strikes as a religious holy war against India.
Since April this year, the Assam police has arrested around 40 persons including a Bangladeshi national for their alleged links to ABT on charges of indoctrinating youngsters about jihad and creating sleeper cells of the Bangladeshi outfit.
Last month, Assam chief minister Sarma informed the assembly that 84 persons have been arrested in the state since May 2016 for alleged jihadi activities.
The NIA probe is based on a case originally registered at Matia Police Station in Lower Assam’s Goalpara district on August 20.
The NIA re-registered the case on September 26 this year under charges of 120B, 121, and 121 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC); and sections 18, 18B, 19 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Earlier Assam government demolished three madrasa in Assam’s Bongaigaon, Morigaon and Goalpara districts over alleged links with ABT.