NEW DELHI- Sources in the Indian intelligence agencies have revealed thatBangladesh-based Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) – an Islamic extremist group- may have plans of targeting several cities in India.
The information is believed to have come to light after MaharashtraAnti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested five suspected terrorists recently.Previously, seven suspected operatives of ABT were also arrested in BodhGaya and consequent interrogations have pointed to a possible attack beingplanned by the group.
According to sources, ABT has already managed to create several bases incities like Pune and Ambarnath in Maharashtra. It is suspected that thesebases may even exist outside Maharashtra as well.
The ABT is believed to be a front for Al Qaeda and was banned by Bangladeshin 2016. With a corporate-like functioning system, the ABT apparantly hasdivisions like finance, operations, IT, finance and transport. Itoriginated in Bangladesh in 2007 and even went bust due to lack of funds -only to resurface around 2013.