BENGALURU: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key operative of banned terrorist organisation Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Najir Sheikh alias Patla Anas from Agartala. Najir (25) was brought to the city on a transit warrant and produced before the special NIA court in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
On July 7, the NIA had seized five improvised hand grenades, three circuits of improvised explosive device, one timer device, two rocket bends, one jacket, one 9mm pistol with live rounds, one air gun and various other incriminating materials used in fabrication of hand grenades from a house in Chikkabanavara, Soladevanahalli in Bengaluru North, which was allegedly rented by JMB cadres. The agency had earlier arrested a key JMB operative Habibur Rehman from Doddaballapur, who had reportedly confessed about the JMB sleeper cell in Karnataka.
The NIA learnt that Najir was staying in Bengaluru with other JMB members - Jahidul Islam alias Kaushar alias Aijul Mondal, Nazrul Islam alias Mota Anas, Asif Ikbal and Arif alias Rafikul Mia. “These men were involved in raising funds by committing dacoities.
They had established their hideouts in the city and had made preparations to carry out subversive activities by procuring material for making IEDs,” an official spokesman said. JMB was involved in the 2014 blast in Burdwan in West Bengal which injured two people. Fearing arrest, some of the members had escaped to Karnataka. The NIA had arrested a top JMB leader Mohammed Jahidul Islam from Ramanagara last August.