Terror suspects held in Patna were being handled from Dhaka: ATS officer
Debashish Karmakar | TNN | Mar 30, 2019, 23:04 IST
Representative imagePATNA: Suspected Bangladeshi terrorist Khairul Mandal, who was arrested from the vicinity of Patna Junction on March 24 along with his associate Abu Sultan, reportedly told officers of anti-terrorism squad (ATS) of Bihar Police during interrogation that his master was handling him from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
A senior ATS officer said Khairul, who owed allegiance to Islamic State Bangladesh (ISBD), a terror outfit, has revealed the name of his handler.
“Khairul’s claims are being verified. He told us that he was operating on the directions of his handler, whose main target was to create sleeper cells of ISBD in India for carrying out terror attacks,” the officer said, adding, Khairul was supposed to leave for Syria via India to join ISIS, a global terror organisation, but his handler suggested him not to do so for the time being as he might be arrested due to tight security in view of Lok Sabha elections in the country.
In course of investigation, the ATS came to know that Khairul had stayed at Bodh Gaya for at least 11 days and conducted recce of Mahabodhi temple and Gandhi Maidan. Several election rallies are to be organised by various political parties at Gandhi Maidan in Gaya. The Gaya constituency will go to polls in the first phase on April 11.
On Khairul’s confession, an ATS team from Bihar arrested Shariyat Mandal, a daily wager, from Pune on Wednesday. The three suspected terrorists are currently on 10-day police remand.
Another senior officer of state police headquarters said Khairul was in touch with several people in India through social media and instant messaging platforms.
“Call details and forensic reports of Khairul’s cellphone are awaited,” he said.
A senior ATS officer said Khairul, who owed allegiance to Islamic State Bangladesh (ISBD), a terror outfit, has revealed the name of his handler.
“Khairul’s claims are being verified. He told us that he was operating on the directions of his handler, whose main target was to create sleeper cells of ISBD in India for carrying out terror attacks,” the officer said, adding, Khairul was supposed to leave for Syria via India to join ISIS, a global terror organisation, but his handler suggested him not to do so for the time being as he might be arrested due to tight security in view of Lok Sabha elections in the country.
In course of investigation, the ATS came to know that Khairul had stayed at Bodh Gaya for at least 11 days and conducted recce of Mahabodhi temple and Gandhi Maidan. Several election rallies are to be organised by various political parties at Gandhi Maidan in Gaya. The Gaya constituency will go to polls in the first phase on April 11.
On Khairul’s confession, an ATS team from Bihar arrested Shariyat Mandal, a daily wager, from Pune on Wednesday. The three suspected terrorists are currently on 10-day police remand.
Another senior officer of state police headquarters said Khairul was in touch with several people in India through social media and instant messaging platforms.
“Call details and forensic reports of Khairul’s cellphone are awaited,” he said.
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