Following the arrest of a suspected operator of the terrorist outfit Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM) from Canning in West Bengal, the West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) is probing the possible reasons behind the suspect’s presence in the state.
According to STF sources, Javed Ahmad Munshi used to provide logistical support to terror outfits like Hizbul-e-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba.
Munshi has visited and participated in Pakistan at least seven times since 1990
According to sources, a 6-month training program was conducted in that country on how to make Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
They added that Munshi was sent by his handlers to determine a possible river route to smuggle weapons from Bangladesh to India.
The police are also investigating whether Munshi opened a training module in Bengal.
Munshi has a history of involvement in terrorism-related activities, including his alleged role in the killing of Ahl-e-Hadith leader Shaukat Shah in 2011, and has served several jail terms on terrorism-related charges, STF sources said. .
Sources said that during the initial interrogation, Munshi admitted that he had visited Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan several times using a fake passport on the instructions of his handler.
According to police sources, Munshi had come to Canning area a few days ago.
On 22 December, a Kolkata court remanded Munshi in transit to the Jammu and Kashmir Police till 31 December.
He was arrested from Canning in a joint operation by Jammu and Kashmir Police and West Bengal STF.
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