Assamese youths have undergone a training under the Islamic terror network Jamatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to carry out attacks, Director General of Police (DGP) Khagen Sarma said Tuesday.
"We have received information against some youths who have been visiting Bangladesh for getting the training under the Islamic terror networks such as the JMB to carry out terror attacks," he told reporters while attending a function organised to observe the Police Commemoration Day at the 4th Assam Police battalion at Kahilipara area.
The DGP's statement assumes significance as the All India United Democratic Front had slammed the Assam government recently after the arrest of six people for their alleged links with the JMB and the recent blast in Burdwan in West Bengal.
"We were criticised when we arrested 24 people in a day in 1994 for having links with the Islamic terror network. Most of them had confessed their links with the network. Some of them had even confessed their links with the HuJI and Harkatul Mujahideen," said Sarma.
"Some of those arrested recently from Assam's Barpeta district have been under surveillance for a long time. However, we did not have any evidence against them. Now police have arrested them as they have the evidence against them," he said.
"The JMB has been able to establish some base in West Bengal due to its geographical proximity with Bangladesh. It might also try to expand its network in Assam," he said.
There has been an alert and police are keeping a close eye on some districts in lower and central Assam and Barak Valley.