NIA arrests top JMB terrorist from B'luru

The NIA has arrested a top leader of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, Mohammed Jahidul Islam, from Bengaluru, who was wanted in the Burdwan blast case in India and in several terror cases in Bangladesh, officials said today.

Mohammed Jahidul Islam alias Kausar alias Munna alias Mizan alias Boma Miyan, aged 38 years, was arrested by an NIA team yesterday from Ramanagara near Bengaluru, NIA spokesperson said in a statement.

His house was also searched, and some electronic devices were recovered, besides traces of explosives were also found, the official said.

"He is the top leader of the JMB (Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh) in India and is wanted in the Burdwan blast case and in many other cases in Bangladesh also. He is the master mind in the Bodh Gaya case," he said.

On October 2, 2014, a blast had occurred in a house at Khagragarh in West Bengal's Burdwan district in which a man identified as Sakil Gazi died on the spot, while another named Sovan Mandal died in hospital.

Both of them were suspected of having terror links.

The NIA had alleged that the JMB members wanted to establish Sharia rule by overthrowing the democratically-elected government in Bangladesh.

A low-intensity blast was reported at a kitchen set up at the Kaalchintan Ground in the temple town of Bodh Gaya on January 19, causing panic among devotees gathered to hear the Dalai Lama's discourse.

It is alleged that on Islam's directions Mustafizur Rehman alias Shahin, who is his close associate, had arranged and assembled all the explosives for the incident, the spokesperson said.

Islam has been sent to five days of transit remand by a special NIA court in Bengaluru and will now be produced before the special NIA Court, Patna, by the agency, he said.