JMB militants charged in Bihar Buddha temple explosion case

National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India pressed charges against 3 members of Jamaat-ul Mujahideen ), Bangladesh(JMB) for their involvement in terrorist act of planting three IEDs in and around Bodhgaya temple complex on 19th Jan 2018.

NIA filed the charge- sheet in Special NIA Court, Patna in a case over recovery and explosion of IEDs in Bodhgaya Temple Complex, Bihar, according to a release published on NIA website.

The charge-sheeted accused are Paigambar Sheikh alias Abdul Aziz son of Late Hazrat Ali, resident of Kankuria, PS Samshergunj of Murshidabad, Ahmad Ali alias Kalu, son of Late Hussain Ali, resident of Ratanpur, PS Samshergunj, and Nur Alam Momin, son of Mansur Momin, resident of Kamat, Mominoara, Dhulian, PS Samshergunj of the same district in West Bengal-all members of JMB.

Investigation has also revealed the involvement of accused Jahidul Islam alias Kausar of Jamalpur, Bangladesh, Mustafizur Rahman alias Shaheen of Birbhum, West Bengal and Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim of Murshidabad, West Bengal and Arif Hussain alias Anas of Barpeta, Assam.

Four of these accused persons were arrested in Aug 2018 while accused Arif Hussain is still absconding.

Investigation brought out that accused Jahildul Islam alias Kausar is a senior member of JMB and Mustafizur Rahman is his close confidant.

Accused Paigambar Sheikh, Ahmad Ali, Nur Alam, Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim and Arif Hussain are all members ofJMB.

The NIA report said, “Accused Jahidul Islam @ Kausar and Mustafizur Rahman @ Shaheen entered into a conspiracy with their other associates to carry out terror incidents in India by way of planting IEDs and carrying out explosions at symbols of Buddhist faith in order to show solidarity with the Rohingya Muslims fighting with Myanmar Government and to cause loss to public life and property, to wage war against Government of India and to overawe the Government of India.”

In furtherance of the conspiracy, the accused persons contacted and assembled together at various places, took hideouts at Jahanabad and Masaurhi in Bihar, carried out reconnaissance of the targets at Bodhgaya and procured explosives and other materials for manufacture of the IED, it said.

Accused Jahidul Islam with the help of other co-accused made 3 IEDs and 2 hand grenades. The IEDs were planted by Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain and Arif Hussain in the premises of Bodhgaya on 19th Jan, 2018 in order to cause loss to public life and property during the auspicious presence of his holiness the Dalai Lama and also during the visit of his Excellency the Governor of Bihar at Bodhgaya, thus committing a terrorist act, it added.

source: UNB