Arrested Terrorists Plotted Attacks to Disturb Peace After Ayodhya Verdict, Says Assam Minister

Guwahati: The three suspected terrorists, who were arrested on Monday, had learnt how to make bombs from social networking sites and plotted attacks in Assam and Delhi to disrupt peace following the Ayodhya verdict of the Supreme Court, the state Assembly was informed on Thursday.

A major terror strike was averted after the November 25 arrest of three men, suspected to be inspired by the ISIS, who were allegedly planning to carry out blasts at an ongoing local carnival in Assam's Goalpara district. After monitoring their social media activities, security agencies were confirmed that these youths had allegiance to the ISIS, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said during the Zero Hour.

"These men were planning a terror attack to disturb peace after the Ayodhya verdict. They prepared an IED and planned to trigger blast at the Dudhnoi Raas festival in Assam," he said in reply to notices by AGP MLAs Pabindra Deka and Prodip Hazarika.

They had planned to carry out similar blasts in Delhi, Patowary said on behalf of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who also holds the Home portfolio. Materials required to make improvised explosive

devices (IEDs) such as batteries, explosives, crackers, alarm watches, LED lights and nails were seized from the houses of two of them, he said.

Ranjit Ali, Mukaddir Islam and Luit Jamel Zaman, all in their early twenties, were arrested in an operation carried out jointly by the Delhi Police and its Assam counterpart. "During the investigation, it is revealed that Ranjit Ali used to maintain contact with many suspicious people and he learnt how to make bombs from them through WhatsApp, Facebook and Telegram," the minister said.

The Assam government has appointed a deputy superintendent of police to investigate the matter and senior officials are directly monitoring the probe, he added.

A court has remanded to them to 12 days' police remand, Patowary said. The Sarbananda Sonowal-led government will never compromise on terrorism and will ensure full security to the people of Assam.