• NET Web Desk

Two Islamic clerics (Imams) allegedly involved in radicalizing Muslim youths in the state and having links with terror outfit Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) have been arrested in Assam’s Goalpara district.

Addressing the mediapersons, the Superintendent of Police (SP) – V V Rakesh Reddy, the duo were taken into custody on August 20 and arrested the next day for their alleged links with Bangladesh outfits.

The police have registered a case against the duo under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and mentioned that more such people are likely to be arrested soon.

The arrested have been identified as – Abdus Sobahan, a cleric of Tinkonia Shantipur Masjid under Mornoi police station and Jalaluddin, a cleric of Tilapara Masjid under Matia police station. Sobahan is a member of AQIS, the SP said.

“We have also found that they have links with several jihadis arrested in the state earlier and another who was apprehended in West Bengal,” Reddy said.

Both the arrested clerics have been engaged in radicalizing youths and in jihadi activities since the last three to four years.

“Jalaluddin had organized a religious congregation at Tilapara Sundarpara which was addressed by several speakers from Bangladesh who have been identified as jihadis and their speeches had contents related to such activities,” he said.

The police have seized several books, posters and a mobile phone used to contact jihadis in Bangladesh from the two men, Reddy said.

They were produced at the chief judicial magistrate’s court here and remanded to police custody for seven days.