KOLKATA: Close on the heels of the arrest of six suspected Al Qaeda terrorists from West Bengal, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday reported arresting another Al Qaeda activist from Murshidabad in West Bengal in connection with the previous case.
Abdul Momin Mondal (32), resident of Nazrana village under Raninagar police station area of Murshidabad district, was arrested by NIA on Sunday in connection with the case in which six from West Bengal and three from Kerala (of West Bengal origin) were arrested earlier in September.
Shamim Ansari, a tenth suspect, was also arrested in September.
Mondal was working as a teacher in Raipur Darur Huda Islamia Madrassa in Murshidabad. According to NIA, Mondal was involved in a series of conspiratorial meetings convened by the members of Al Qaeda module busted in September.
Mondal was also trying to recruit new members for the group and was raising funds for terrorist activities. The residential premises of the accused was searched and digital devices were recovered.
NIA did not specify the nature of digital devises confiscated from Mondal’s home.
The investigating agency said with the arrest of Mondal, 11 accused have been netted by them in connection with the case. The District Court at Murshidabad has granted transit remand for transporting Mondal to New Delhi for interrogation.
The case was first registered on September 11 and pertains to anti-national activities by a group of jihadi terrorists inspired by the globally proscribed terrorist organisation Al Qaeda. The arrested activists were involved in planning to carry out terrorist strikes in different locations in the country including West Bengal, Kerala and New Delhi.