Third JMB man nabbed for link to Bodh Gaya blasts

KOLKATA: Fresh from the arrest of two members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh-IS’ Bengal Dhuliyan (Murshidabad) module, that shares close links with like-minded south India-based JMB operatives, cops have arrested another module member with direct links to the 2018 Bodh Gaya blast.
The special task force said they nabbed Abdul Rahim on Monday based on specific inputs.The arrest comes hours before the home ministry alerted the security establishment in Bengal of the presence of JMB elements in Murshidabad and Malda.
“We arrested Rahim, a resident of Dhuliyan in Murshidabad, around 7.20pm fr-om Bajepratappur Charkhu-mbha on Katwa Road in Purba Bardhaman. We arrested him under stringent cha-rges of waging war against the nation under IPC, UAPA Act and Explosive Substances Act,” said Subhankar Sinha Sarkar, joint CP (STF).
“He was associated with top JMB leaders like Abdul Wahab (arrested), Moulana Yousuf (arrested) and others. He is an active member of JMB’s Dhuliyan module in West Bengal. The module was responsible for the Bodh Gaya blast. Abdul Rahim took part in recruitment and arranged logistics. He was absconding since the January 2018 blast,” Sarkar added. This is the third arrest in the past week and the 16th arrest of a JMB operative by STF in the past three years.
Police sources said they are investigating allegations that the module resorted to robbery after funding dried up following the blast and that Rahim was an integral part of this. “Their links in Bangladesh failed to arrange money, forcing Kausar alias Boman Mirza — the head of India operations — to take the decision,” said a source.
STF officials said they are now trying to ascertain the whereabouts of JMB’s most-wanted man — Salauddin Ahmed alias Salauddin Salehin — who has brought about an ideological change to the organization, switching from al Qaida to IS.
“Unlike in the past, Salauddin wants to carry out attacks even in north Bengal, the first target being places frequented by Buddhist pilgrims. The neo-JMB has formed at least seven local modules in Bengal alone, each with 10-12 members. At least five of them are based out of Murshidabad.