NIA files charge sheet against two suspected Bangladeshi terrorists

The National Investigation Agency on Friday filed a charge sheet in a court here against two suspected Bangladeshi terrorists, who had entered India illegally and concealed their identity by procuring fake Aadhaar cards.

The charge sheet was filed against Mahmud Hassan alias Shariful Islam and Mohamad Sa'ad Hussain alias Mohamad Sayad Hussain under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Foreigners Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the agency said in a statement.

The two were detained by villagers in Silsuri when they could not produce valid documents and gave unsatisfactory replies about their antecedents and presence in the area, it said.

"They were later handed over to the BSF personnel of Silsuri Border Out-Post (BOP), who in turn handed over the two accused to police station Marpara. The local police registered the case for investigation which was later handed over to NIA," it said.

The agency said its investigation has established that both the suspects are members of Ansar-al-Islam, a banned terrorist organisation in Bangladesh.

"Both the accused crossed the international border of India and Bangladesh illegally in the state of Tripura in November 2018. They concealed their location and identity based on fake Aadhaar cards," it said.

These fake Aadhaar cards were given to them by their handlers in Bangladesh.

"Investigation further revealed that accused Mahmud Hassan alias Shariful Islam had travelled from Agartala to Bangalore in pursuance to conspiracy of terrorist acts in India and stayed in Bangalore for eight to nine months (November 2018 to July 2019)," the agency said.

He recceed public places in Bangalore, the NIA said.

Investigation has also revealed that on instructions of his handler, the accused financially assisted another arrested ABT (Ansarullah Bangla Team) member lodged in Kolkata jail.

ABT is another banned terrorist organization in Bangladesh.

"Both the accused later criminally conspired, as per directions of their handlers in Bangladesh and tried to procure weapons from various places in the state of Tripura and Mizoram in pursuance of the conspiracy of committing terrorist acts in India," the agency said.

A large amount of incriminating documents were recovered from their seized digital devices, it said.

Mizoram police registered a case in this regard in July last year, which was taken over by NIA in September.