New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) : The National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) probe into a cross-border terror conspiracy case has shifted focus to a group called Imam Mahmuder Kafila (IMK).
The name of the IMK cropped up during a radicalisation case stemming from Assam and has links in West Bengal and Kerala as well.
Intelligence dossiers link the IMK to the Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). The JMB is a proscribed terror group in India and has been active in running terror modules in West Bengal and Assam.
The JMB, through its various proxies, not only runs terror modules but also aids illegal immigration into India that is aimed at effecting demographic changes and inciting communal tensions.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that the IMK was launched in 2018. “However, its activities were relatively quiet. The outfit is headed by Jewel Mahmud alias Imam Mahmud Habibullah. He has been instrumental in setting up regional wings of the IMK in Assam and West Bengal. The NIA operation clearly shows that the IMK was trying to infiltrate Kerala,” the official said.
Another official said that the Bangladesh-based terror groups which indulge in terror acts and aid illegal immigration have been gradually shifting operations towards South India.
“This is to do with the fact that a large number of illegal immigrants have been moved into the southern states as there is heavy scrutiny on them in West Bengal and the northeastern states. In addition to avoiding scrutiny, the southern states are chosen thanks to better work opportunities in the construction and plantation sector,” the official said.
Another official said that the IMK had been specifically tasked by the JMB to set up terror modules in Assam, West Bengal and Kerala.
“The JMB, which is another ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) proxy, had been tasked with these regions and now it is clear that they are trying to expand operations in South India,” the official said.
The structure is a multi-layered one, and the trail starts from Bangladesh. To undertake these terror and illegal immigration operations, the JMB had selected Khalid and Umar to coordinate with operatives of the IMF.
The IMF was put in charge as the JMB did not want the trail reaching Bangladesh. Further, it wanted the locals to handle the operations and hence decided not to involve too many Bangladeshis in its operations, officials say.
Khalid and Umar coordinated these operations from Bangladesh. They remained in touch with Nasimuddin alias Tamim, a resident of Barpeta Road. He was in charge of the recruitments for the terror module. He also had under him several persons who were in charge of the radicalisation modules.
In Tripura, the point person was one Jagir Mia, who was also tasked by the Bangladesh-based handlers to radicalise and recruit, officials say.
The officials say that the IMK-operated module chose the name Purba Akash to carry out operations in India. They used this name to spread violent jihadi propaganda and also asked their recruits to heavily advocate for Ghazwa-e-Hind or the destruction of India.
The Tripura and Assam modules of the IMK did not go in for large-scale funding. The funding was decentralised, and they were in the process of carrying out a similar operation to fund their activities in South India. The funds being raised were in smaller villages, and they were of smaller denominations.
The first part of the plan was to set up terror modules in Assam, West Bengal and Kerala. The next phase of the plan was to expand in South India and tap into the Bangladeshis living there illegally to be part of these radicalisation and terror modules, an official said.
