New Delhi: The Bangladesh-based terror outfit Jamat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) is attempting to spread its bases in coastal states including in Odisha to attack Buddhist installations in the country, asserts intelligence agencies.
Addressing an annual conference of chiefs of anti-terrorism squads and special task forces, National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief YC Modi Monday said that the Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh has spread its activities in states like Karnataka, Jharkhand, Kerala and Maharashtra, adding that the JMB members have also infiltrated in coastal states like Odisha and West Bengal as Bangladeshi immigrants.
He also said that the NIA has shared a list of 125 suspects having close links with the JMB with the concerned states.
Significantly, NIA Inspector General Alok Mittal said the JMB has set up around 22 hideouts in Bangalore between 2014 and 2018. They are trying to spread its bases in south India. He also said that the JMB has conducted a trial of rocket launchers in the Krishnagiri hills along the Karnataka border.
The annual conference was inaugurated by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at Vigyan Bhawan here and attended by Nagaland Governor RN Ravi and Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy. The inaugural session of the two-day conference was attended by state DGPs and other senior officers of central armed police forces and other central agencies.
Mittal said the JMB even conducted a trial of rocket launchers in the Krishnagiri hills along the Karnataka border and was planning to attack Buddhist temples to take revenge for the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
“The coordination between state police forces and the NIA has led to effective investigation. In some cases, we have achieved success in avoiding terror attacks. State police forces should be praised for their efforts.”
Noting that radicalisation is a major issue in terror cases, the NIA chief said the matter would be discussed in the two-day conference which began Monday. Issues related to cyber forensics is also part of the discussions, he said.
Referring to the Manipur missing arms case, in which 56 9mm pistols were stolen from the armoury of the Manipur police with 58 loaded magazines, Modi said the weapons were being provided to the insurgents in 2016.
The NIA DG added that the conviction rate by the anti-terror agency has been 90 per cent in the cases dealt by it so far. He also mentioned that state police forces have played a major role in dealing with terror-related cases along with the NIA by sharing information and best practices.
“These leads would not have come to the fore if NIA did not investigate the case across India. As the investigation of the state police is limited, there is a need to focus on the gravity of cases and such inputs should be shared with the NIA so that larger conspiracy could be unearthed,” Mittal said, adding that the JMB has set up 20-22 hideouts in Bangalore and tried to spread its bases in South India from 2014 to 2018.
Odisha is known for its many Buddhist installations. A number tourists from various states visit Shanti Stupa at Dhauli in Bhubaneswar, Ratnagiri in Jaipur district, Lalitagiri and Udayagiri Buddhist complexes in Cuttack district, among others.
