Two terrorists with Al-Qaeda links nabbed in Bengal

Kolkata: The special task force (STF) of West Bengal police, late on Wednesday night, arrested two suspected terrorists having links with Al-Qaeda from Shashan village under Barasat block in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

The two arrested are Raqib Sarkar and Kazi Ahshanullah. STF sources said that both were members of Al-Qaeda in Indian Sub-continent (AQIS), with Sarkar being the operation-in-charge of West Bengal.

STF sources said that they got information that Sarkar will come to meet Kazi Ahshanullah at the latter's residence at Shashan late on Wednesday evening.

Accordingly, STF sleuths laid traps and finally nabbed Sarkar along with Ahshanullah as soon as they reached Shashan. The arrest of the two is being considered as a major success in the counter-terrorism activities in West Bengal.

It is learnt that there are several cases registered against Sarkar and Kazi Ahshanullah at different police stations in West Bengal. Both were wanted for a long time by STF for active involvement in insurgency activities.

Sarkar is a resident of Ganganagar Municipality area in South 24 Parganas district in North Bengal while Kazi Ahshanullah originally hails from Arambagh Municipality area in Hooghly district. The latter also owns a residence at Topsia area in Kolkata.

Sources said that a number of terrorism related books, propaganda pamphlets, diaries, computer hard-discs, pen-drives, multiple mobile phones and mobile SIM cards were received from their possession. STF sleuths will examine and analyse them with the help of experts and they believe that additional crucial information might be available about AQIS's network in West Bengal from the documents seized.

During interrogation, both have confessed their active association with AQIS. The STF sleuths are currently interrogating them about their other associates in the terrorist chain or sleeper cell in West Bengal. Both will be presented at a lower court in Barasat on Thursday, where the STF will seek their custody for further interrogation.