Al Qaeda front s two militants among three held in Kolkata

Kolkata Nov 21 (IANS) Three persons including two suspected members of Bangladesh-based Islamiist group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) were arrested on Tuesday from the Kolkata railway station police said.

The third man arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police is a local arms dealer.

The ABT is a front for Al Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent and is banned in Bangladesh.

Police said initial investigation suggested that the two Bangladeshis had illegally entered India to buy modern firearms and were staying in the country for one-and-a-half years.

"The three were arrested by the STF around 2.30 p.m. including Shamsad Mia alias Tanveer alias Tushar Biswas and Riaz alias Riazul Islam from Bangladesh " an officer said.

"Manotosh Dey alias Mona Da is suspected to be an arms dealer from North 24 ParganaS district s Basirhat. Laptops pen drives and firearms including a revolver and a shot gun and several incriminating documents have been seized from the three " he said.

--IANS
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