ABT Leader Rahmani’s Threats: Calls for Kashmir Liberation and West Bengal Independence
Kolkata, 14th September 2024: The leader of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a terrorist group linked with al-Qaida in Bangladesh, has issued provocative statements against India in a video that has circulated widely.
Jashimuddin Rahmani, who was recently released from prison by the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, appears in the video calling for support from Pakistan and Afghanistan to “liberate Kashmir.” Filmed, reportedly, in a hospital in early September, Rahmani also warned India about its ties with former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He further urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to “free Bengal from Modi’s rule and declare independence.”
Rahmani, who had served a five-year sentence for murdering a blogger, was granted parole in August, shortly after the military-backed interim government assumed power in Bangladesh. His release has raised concerns in India due to ABT’s affiliations with al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), an organization banned in India.
In his video, Rahmani threatened India, suggesting it could face severe consequences if it continued its aggressive stance towards Bangladesh. He warned that Bangladesh is not easily intimidated and implied potential support from China to disrupt India’s northeastern region by targeting the Siliguri corridor. This threat coincides with a period of public unrest in West Bengal following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.
Rahmani, an outspoken supporter of AQIS, also sought assistance from Pakistan and Afghanistan to promote Kashmir’s independence and advocated for Khalistan. His rhetoric represents a significant security concern for India, given ABT’s connections with AQIS and its efforts to establish a jihadi presence in India through sleeper cells.
