Bengal: NIA Arrests Another Suspected Al-Qaeda Operative

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday has arrested one Samim Ansari from West Bengal in connection with a probe into suspected Al-Qaeda module operating in the state. He is a resident of Jalangi village of Murshidabad district.

On September 19, NIA teams had conducted simultaneous raids at several locations in central Kerala's Ernakulam and Bengal's Murshidabad districts and arrested nine men allegedly associated with a Pakistan-sponsored module of Al-Qaeda.

Ansari's wife however says that her husband was innocent and being framed.

"He used to work as a construction labourer in Kerala until a year and a half ago. He came back home and started selling vegetables at a local market. He had no connection with any terror outfit. He has been framed," she said.

NIA said Ansari will be taken to Delhi for interrogation.

"We have found his involvement with those arrested earlier. We have seized his mobile phone. He is being interrogated," said an official.

According to NIA, the arrested individuals were planning to carry out terrorist attacks in Delhi and other parts of the country in a bid to kill innocent people.