RANGPUR, Sept 15, 2023 (BSS) - Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-13 arrested four alleged active operatives of banned militant outfit 'Ansar Al Islam' in overnight raids from different places in Thakurgaon and Dinajpur districts last night.
 
"Acting on intelligence information, an operational team of RAB-13 conducted a raid and arrested one militant from Thakurgaon Sadar upazila last night," said a press release issued tonight by Senior Assistant Director (Media) of RAB-13 Flight Lieutenant Mahmud Bashir Ahmed.
 
The arrested 'Ansar Al Islam' operative is Md Yasin, 17, son of Md Mohsin Ali of Sadar upazila in Thakurgaon district.
 
As per information delivered by Md Yasin, the elite force conducted separate raids at Sadar and Biral upazilas of Dinajpur district and arrested three more operatives of the banned militant organisation.
 
The three arrested militants are In-charge (Dawati Branch) of 'Ansar Al Islam' for Northern region Md Muntaseer Billah, 36, son of Md Keramat Ali, Abdul Malek, 33, son of Rezaul Islam and Sabbir Hossain, 20, of different places in Dinajpur district.
 
"The elite force seized different 'Dawati' books (hard and PDF copies), four mobile phone sets and four SIM cards from the possessions of the arrested persons during the raids," the release said.
 
The raids were conducted as a continuation of arresting five 'Ansar Al Islam' members of Khulna, Bagerhat and Gopalganj regions on August 31 last as per intelligence received from DGFI," the release said 

During interrogation, the detainees confessed that they are active members of 'Ansar Al Islam' and had been conducting activities of the organisation in line with the ideology of Al-Qaeda after being inspired by the success of Taliban in Afghanistan.
 
They followed online speeches of Tamim Al Adnani, Harun Izhar and Gunobi and became inspired in militancy, joined 'Ansar Al Islam' and conducted its organisational and 'Dawati' activities in the northern region to collect new members.
 
"The raids were conducted as a continuation of arresting five 'Ansar Al Islam' members of Khulna, Bagerhat and Gopalganj regions on August 31 last," the release said, adding that further legal actions are being taken against the detainees.