Mamata Banerjee made WB a safe-haven for 'nefarious activities': Supriyo

After NIA busted Pak-sponsored Al-Qaeda modules in Murshidabad, West Bengal, Babul Supriyo said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has made Bengal a safe-haven for 'nefarious activities'

After the National Investigation Agency busted Pakistan-sponsored Al-Qaeda modules in Murshidabad, West Bengal, Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Saturday said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has made Bengal a safe-haven for "nefarious activities."

Supriyo said that Mamata "continues to play with fire with appeasement politics," after the NIA busted Pakistan-sponsored Al-Qaeda modules in Murshidabad, West Bengal and Ernakulam, Kerala and arrested nine terrorists on Saturday.

"Not surprised that 6 of the 7 Al-Qaeda linked terrorists arrested by NIA are from Bengal. For long Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress had made Bengal a safe-haven for all kinds of nefarious activities and she continues to play with fire with appeasement politics," Union Minister tweeted.

The NIA conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations in Ernakulam and Murshidabad early morning today in which nine arrests were made, six from West Bengal and three from Kerala, according to the probe agency.

The NIA had received inputs about an inter-state module of Al-Qaeda operatives at various locations in the country who were planning to undertake terrorist attacks at vital places with the aim to kill innocent people and create terror.

Based on these inputs, the NIA had registered a case on September 11, 2020, and initiated investigations.

Large quantities of incriminating materials including digital devices, documents, jihadi literature, sharp weapons, country-made firearms, a locally fabricated body armour, articles and literature used for making home-made explosive devices have been seized from the possession of the terrorists.

According to the agency, preliminary investigations have revealed that they were radicalised by Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda terrorists on social media and were motivated to undertake attacks at multiple places including the National Capital Region.

The arrested accused include Murshid Hasan, Iyakub Biswas, Mosaraf Hossen (all from Ernakulam), and Najmus Sakib, Abu Sufiyan, Mainul Mondal, Leu Yean Ahmed, Al Mamun Kamal, and Atitur Rehman (Murshidabad residents).

The module was actively indulging in fundraising and a few members of the gang were planning to travel to New Delhi to procure arms and ammunition. These arrests have pre-empted possible terrorist attacks in various parts of the country.

The agency said that the arrested terrorists will be produced before the concerned courts in Kerala and West Bengal for police custody. Further investigation is underway.