Starting with 10 terror modules in 2009, the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh today has more than 50 units across West Bengal, reveal investigative officials.
The bomb blasts in Burdwan and the subsequent terror activities that have been unearthed in West Bengal have exposed a deadly mix of hawala operation, money laundering and transnational terrorism.
According to sources in the intelligence agencies, the incidents have blown the lid off how the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh is using West Bengal not only as their centre to spread terror in neighbouring Bangladesh but also as a means to spread its ugly tentacles in the country.
Investigations have revealed that the planning of this entire nexus began in 2009 when a few leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami decided to usurp power from the Awami League in Bangladesh. Hence, they roped in the help of their militant wing Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh to execute their plot.
As per the plans, in the latter half of 2009, the JMB moved 10 of its operatives into West Bengal and another 15 into Assam. With the help and support of political leaders, who were sympathetic to the cause of the Jamaat, these operatives received passports and voter identifications.
Slowly and gradually, these 10 modules grew and today in 2014, they have 53 active modules in West Bengal.
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National Investigation Agency sources have revealed to Rediff.com that the operation has been a lengthy one. In fact, in order to strengthen its base here, cadres were asked to marry Indians, and soon it became a family affair.
Furthermore, joint investigations by the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate, Intelligence Bureau and other central agencies has revealed how money collected from the poor in West Bengal through the Saradha ponzi scheme was allegedly transferred using the hawala channel to fund terror activities of the JMB.
According to a financial report, one state politician allegedly moved Rs 65 crore through a hawala channel. Out of this, Rs 18 crore was sent in installments to Assam and West Bengal. The probe has revealed that in Assam, a doctor identified as Sahanur Alam and his wife were transferring the funds to operatives.
Sources add that the rise of JMB in West Bengal is also owing to the nexus of terrorists with politicians. An indication of that was the alleged involvement of TMC MP Ahmed Imran in the Saradha scam, which has been revealed to also fund terror activities of the JMB.
Additionally, three Intelligence Bureau reports suggest that the West Bengal government ignored the warnings of large scale infiltration into West Bengal and the red flags that were raised about Imran before he moved to the Rajya Sabha. All of these warnings had been ignored by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, forcing many to believe that she is soft on terror.
The other allegation is that there are several state officials who are closet Jamaat supporters and helped in setting up modules in the state. In fact, several officials in New Delhi state that Mamata’s icy ties with Bangladesh are owing to her reported affiliation with Jamaat sympathisers.
Further, the administration is accused of not taking any action against the gram panchayats in West Bengal which give easy access to infiltrators.
The rise of the JMB is also a concern for India, as it has been discovered that the JMB does not only want to overthrow the Awami League in Bangladesh but also create many terror hot spots in India. For this, the JMB has sought the help of the Al Qaeda. According to a recent post in the Al Qaeda’s magazine, Resurgence, this would be a step forward establishing the caliphate as per the wish of its supreme leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri.
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