Two suspected terrorists linked with the Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) terror groups were arrested by the Assam police in the Goalpara district on Saturday.

The arrested persons have been identified as Abdus Subhan, Imam of Tinkunia Shantipur Mosque under Mornoi police station and Jalaluddin Sheikh, Imam of Tilapara Natun Mosque under Matia police station in Goalpara, after they were grilled by the police for several hours.

V.V. Rakesh Reddy, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Goalpara district said that both the aforesaid persons were arrested after they were grilled for hours.

"We have gotten input in July this year from arrested Abbas Ali who is also linked with Jihadi elements. During the interrogation, we found that they were directly connected with Barpeta and Morigaon modules of AQIS/ABT in Assam," the SP said.

"During the house searches of the accused persons, a number of incriminating material related to the Al-Qaeda, Jihadi elements, posters, books among other documents were seized along with the mobile phones, SIM cards and ID cards," he added.

The top Assam cop further said that they (accused) have also given logistic support to the Jihadi terrorists who came here from Bangladesh.

"The Bangladeshi nationals are absconding and the arrested terrorists had given shelter to the Bangladeshi terrorists in Goalpara. The arrested persons had organized one Dharma Sabha in December 2019 at Sundarpur Tilapara Madrassa under the Matia police station where many Bangladeshi nationals with linkages to AQIS were invited as guest speakers," the police official said.

He further disclosed that these arrested persons were involved in providing logistic support as well as sheltering the Bangladeshi nationals, who are currently absconding. "They confessed being members of AQIS and recruited Ansars/Sleeper Cells in Goalpara and revealed direct funding and supports have come from the absconding Bangladeshi terrorists," SP V.V. Rakesh Reddy added.

A fresh case has been registered at Matia police station case number under the sections 120(B), 121, 121 (A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) RW and sections 18, 18 (B), 19, and 20 of the UA(P) Act.

Further investigation is underway.

Earlier on July 28, 11 persons were detained in a major crackdown in Assam for their alleged links with the global terror outfits including AQIS and ABT.