Gujarat ATS arrests one Bangladeshi national, detains 3 for Al Qaeda links

According to ATS, Ahmedali “was influenced by the Al Qaeda ideology and became its member”. It said Ahmedali was in contact with his Bangladeshi handler Sharikul Islam. Islam put him in contact with the terror outfit’s Mymensingh head who, in turn, put Ahmedali in charge of influencing and recruiting youths to the banned organisation and raising funds. ATS has also alleged that Ahmedali received training in using encrypted chat applications, The Onion Router (TOR) and virtual private network (VPN).

During interrogation, Ahmedali revealed that he and his accomplices — Munna Khalid Ansari alias Munnakhan and Azharul Islam Kafiluddin Ansari alias Jahangir alias Aakashkhan — had illegally entered India from Bangladesh using forged IDs to recruit and raise funds for Al Qaeda.

According to ATS, the trio had attempted to radicalise youths from Gujarat and other states and collected money through several individuals that were channelled through Akashkhan.

It added that another individual named Abdul Latif alias Mominul Ansari — also an alleged member of Al Qaeda — entered India illegally from Bangladesh and was in Ahmedabad to spread the terror organisation’s ideology.

The ATS also recovered alleged fake Aadhaar and PAN cards from the four and alleged literature published by Al Qaeda’s media wing As-Sahab Media.