Suspected Taliban operative arrested in Bihar
By IANSTuesday, January 19, 2010
PATNA - An Afghan national who was arrested in Purnia district of Bihar five days ago is suspected to have close links with the Taliban, police said Tuesday.
Khan Mirza alias Ghulam Rasool has confessed to links with the Taliban of Afghanistan, police say. “He told police about his connection with the Taliban,” Additional Director General of police U.S. Dutt said.
On the basis of intelligence inputs, Rasool was arrested Jan 13 while travelling by the Jogbani-Katihar train. Soon after the arrest, he was brought to Patna for interrogation.
Initially, police suspected he was involved in fake currency and fake passport rackets in districts bordering Nepal and Bangladesh. Police are investigating his activities in Purnia.
Police said he was arrested while planning to sneak into Bangladesh through the India-Bangladesh border in Purnia district. Police have recovered a Pakistani passport and other documents from him.
Bihar’s Purnia division, particularly Kishanganj district, shares borders with Nepal and Bangladesh and is reported to have become a safe haven for terror suspects in the last few months.
