The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested three persons from Rajkot with alleged links with Al Qaeda, who were prima facie working for a Bangladeshi handler to radicalize others and recruit them for the banned terror outfit. To be. An official gave this information on Tuesday.

He told that all three were residents of West Bengal and used to work in a gold market in Rajkot city. ATS Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat told reporters that the ATS team had received a tip-off and was keeping a close watch on the suspects for the last three to four days before taking them into custody for questioning on Monday night.

He said that a country-made semi-automatic pistol, cartridges, radical literature, videos and other material were recovered from the accused. The official said the three accused used highly encrypted messaging apps to keep in touch with their handlers based in Bangladesh, who instructed them to carry out various tasks, including radicalising others.

 

Shukra Ali, Shaif Nawaz and Aman Malik were detained and arrested yesterday, he said. Nawaz is in Rajkot for the last two years, while the other two are here for the last seven to eight months. The first two are from Bardhaman district, while the third is from Hooghly. His interrogation revealed that Malik was using Telegram app for the last one year to stay in touch with a foreign handler, who is the chief of Al Qaeda in Bangladesh, the official said.

 

Malik was tasked with motivating others to join the terrorist organisation, and used two messaging apps to receive radical literature, videos and training on how to use automatic weapons.