ISI Piggybacks Bangladeshi Terror Outfits To Expand Network In Bengal

To gauge the progress of nefarious activities, a coordination meeting was recently held between the state and the Central sleuths, reports ETV Bharat's Ayan Neogi.

Kolkata: Sleuths were apprehensive of the resurgence of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in Bangladesh since turmoil ensued following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina last year. Now, the spy agency is also trying to expand its network in West Bengal, the intelligence inputs say.

To gauge the progress of the nefarious activities of ISI, a coordination meeting was recently held between the state and the Centre with the participation of representatives of state detective agencies and their central counterparts. However, the minutes of the meeting have not been revealed.

A senior officer of West Bengal Police, requesting anonymity, said, "Such meetings used to happen once in six months and was postponed for long. However, recently it was held after reports of terrorist activities surfaced."

A source in the detective department said there were elaborate discussions on the ISI in the meeting as the sleuths are confirmed about the spy agency's efforts to activate in Bengal. They are piggybacking on Bangladesh-based terror outfits Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ATB), he said.

Several members of such outfits were arrested in the last few months by the STF with seizures of time bombs, wires, switches, splinters and other stuff. Sluths claims to use these materials once need training from the ISI and it is possible that the arrested sleeper cell members were getting trained for this.

The recent arrests confirmed the suspicion that ISI is trying to activate its members in Bengal. The anti-terrorism activities by the STF have put temporary curbs on these activities. However, sleuths fear they will resurge in future and steps to thwart such activities were deliberated upon in the meeting, the source said.

The source further said it was told in the meeting to beef up security on the Indo-Bangla border and keep a close vigil on the suspicious activities in the border districts. Apart from this, the activities of social organisations in Birbhum, Malda, Murshidabad and South 24 Paraganas will also be put under scanner. It will also be looked at whether people from the other side of the border are straying into the Indian side and getting involved in terrorist activities.

Another matter also came up for discussion which may bring some relief to the residents of Bengal. Sleuths think even if the ISI activates its base in Bengal there is a low probability of any big incident as using Bengal as the transit corridor for terrorists to the Northeastern states or other parts of the country will be a more probable option for them.

The police apparatus believes a harmonious coordination between the Centre and the states will help dig out the root of more such nefarious activities and the meeting was praised by many.

"Such meetings are good and states must report any terrorist activities to the central detective agencies. Although the central agencies also have the same responsibility," Nazrul Islam, former ADG of WB Police, said.