Guwahati, Oct 19 (IANS): In wake of intelligence reports of plans to carry out a big terror attack in Assam and other places in the country, the Assam Police have sounded an alert over possible terror strikes by Pakistan's spy agency ISI and terror outfit Al Qaeda over alleged persecution of Muslims in the state, officials said on Monday.
In a circular, referring the reports from the state police's Special Branch, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Law and Order, told all units of the security forces that the ISI is planning to target individuals including RSS cadres, Army areas in Assam, and other places in India.
"..threat from global terror outfits to indulge in spectacular action by resorting to explosion of bombs, IEDs in places of mass gathering, mass transport, religious places etc. Another input indicated that the General Secretariat of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) released a statement regarding the Dhalpur eviction in a Twitter thread condemning the systematic persecution and violence ramped up against the Muslim community in Assam claiming lives of Muslims during protests against an eviction drive of hundreds of Muslim families from the state," the circular said.
In the September 23 eviction related violence, two people were killed and 20 others injured in Assam's Darrang district.
The circular said that another input received from a video message by Al Qaeda indicated a call for jihad, specifically in Assam and Kashmir.
"Al Qaeda's 'as Sahab' released a propaganda video entitled 'Do not sit idly grieving' and showing of videos on alleged lynching of Indian Muslims, including some videos from Assam, and called for Jihad in Assam and Kashmir," it said, asking all the district police "to take necessary preventive and precautionary measures to thwart any evil design of global terror outfits and fundamental and radical elements".
It also asked to gear up the ground sources at the district and lower levels and intelligence input collection machinery and brief all the officers and men regarding the input and remain alert.