Assam Police Uncover IMK Terror Network: 11 Confess to Jihadist Plot

The Special Task Force (STF) of the Assam Police had arrested the 11 associates on December 30 during coordinated operations carried out across multiple locations in Assam's Barpeta, Chirang, Baksa and Darrang districts, as well as in neighbouring Tripura.

IMK is a Bangladesh-based offshoot of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Assam Police sources said the accused had begun collecting funds in different parts of Barpeta, Chirang and other lower Assam districts to further the cause of IMK.

"Further, in mosques where indoctrination was being carried out, references were made to waging armed struggle against the Indian state. The aim of the accused was to foment violent armed activities in the name of jihad and spread communal disturbances in Assam and Tripura," the sources said.

According to investigators, for espousing the cause of IMK, the Amir, Nachimuddin of Barpeta, along with one of the arrested individuals from Tripura, visited Bangladesh sometime in April or May 2024 for meetings and training sessions.

Further investigation is underway in a phased manner.

Police sources said the arrested accused revealed that in late 2024, Nasim Uddin alias Tamim of Nichuka, Barpeta Road, came across a YouTube video preaching the concept of a 'Mujaddid', a religious reformer believed in Islam to appear every 100 years to safeguard the faith.

After commenting on the video mentioning his place of origin, he received a reply from a user claiming to be from Bangladesh and identifying himself as Khalid. The video claimed that a 'Mujaddid' named Imam Mahmud had already appeared to propagate Islamic teachings.

A user ID displayed in the video led Nasim Uddin to a Telegram account under the name Khalid. Through this account, Khalid allegedly circulated religious books and 'Ilham' (believed messages from Allah) in PDF format.

Acting on the instructions of Umar, Sujan Bin Sultan and Shamim Barah of Bangladesh, along with Mir Rahman of West Bengal and Jagir Miah of Tripura, Khalid allegedly preached Hadith, claiming that the arrival of the 'Mujaddid' had been foretold.

The STF teams of the Assam Police carried out raids on the intervening night of December 29 at multiple locations in Barpeta, Chirang, Baksa and Darrang districts, as well as in Tripura, arresting 10 associates from Assam and one from a bordering village, Jaipur, in West Tripura district.

Investigators found that the accused were connected through a WhatsApp group named 'Purba Akash', which was allegedly used for communication, radical propagation and coordination among members across Assam and Tripura.

Police said IMK was founded in 2018 by Jewel Mahmud alias Imam Mahmud Habibullah alias Sohail, a former JMB member who claims to be the Amir of IMK and propagates the ideology of 'Ghazwatul Hind'.

It was further stated that following the regime change in Bangladesh in August 2024, senior leaders of JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) allegedly directed the IMK leadership to activate and expand its modules in India.

Investigators found that after the change of government in Bangladesh, cadres of JMB, ABT and AQIS were either released or emboldened, leading to a revival of their ideological influence and networks in India through platforms linked to IMK.

IMK allegedly disseminates extremist propaganda advocating violent jihad and armed activities in India through digital platforms, including websites and social media channels under the 'Ghazwatul Hind' banner, police said.

A report in Times of Bangladesh said that following August 5, 2024, at least 346 inmates were released on bail in a short period, including convicts in major arms haul cases and members of several banned outfits. According to the report, 148 members of JMB were released on bail within eight months after the political transition.

The Assam Police STF has earlier arrested several JMB associates in separate operations across West Bengal, Kerala and Assam.

- IANS