What happened in Burdwan?An accidental IED blast in a house which killed one terrorist, led the security agencies to a terror module. The investigations so far done point out that the key mastermind behind the larger conspiracy, of which Burdwan module was a part, was Abdul Qadir Sultan Armar, a key member of IM, operating from Waziristan in the Af-Pak border.

What is the role of Armar?The 39-year old Armar, operating under various aliases like Shekhu, Mulla, Pandit and Pujari, like Riyaz and Yasin, also hails from the coastal town of Bhatkal in Karnataka and has emerged as one of the main conduits of QAJ. Recent investigations in Jaipur and Hyderabad have also pointed to his role in recruiting efforts for Al Qaeda and ISIS from Karnataka, Andhra and Rajasthan. Armar has probably been chosen by Umar to carry out massive recruitment from districts bordering Bangladesh.

How is the link with Al Qaeda proved ?On IB and RAW's input the Assam Police had busted six terror modules from Barpeta in Assam, suspected to be having links with Al Qaeda and JMB. Confiscation of similar jihadi propaganda literature and video footage of Al Qaeda camps dubbed in Bengali, Tamil, Hindi and Urdu from the Khagragarh house, belonging to a local TMC politician, and from Barpeta, points to larger terror conspiracy and Al Qaeda involvement, says Intelligence sources. Inspector General Assam Police, SP Singh told dna, there are definite links of the module with the Al Qaeda and JMB and they were given training in subversive activities by Al Qaeda men in Bangladesh at the behest of JMB.

Are there specific clues linking Al Qaeda to the Indian modules?Agencies picked up a chatter on June 7 between IM's Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi and Mirza Shadab Beg alias Engineer, which suggests that IM was being funded to the tune of Rs15 crore from a party in Kolkata. "This is very disturbing information. We are on its trail and the revelations, once established, may upset some political bigwigs," said sources.

Has Assam become a hotbed for terror groups?IB has alerted Assam Police to do swift combing operations in lower Assam districts bordering Bangladesh, such as Barpeta, Goalpara, Dhubri and Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri in Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts. However, sources said, now it seems that the bomb factory at Burdwan was meant to make and supply IEDs to the terror modules of both India and Bangladesh. The JMB is trying to settle scores with Sheikh Hasina's government for the heavy crack down on terror modules in Bangladesh.

What has the Assam police got to say?"The suspects were not yet given any task by their higher ups operating from Bangladesh but were instead asked to remain in total hiding until terror missions were assigned to them," said Singh over phone. Investigation by Assam Police has revealed that the six were part of the module operating under JMB whose cadre were involved in Burdwan IED blast. One of the arrested persons, Shaikhul Islam alias Abdulla, is a member of the module operating in Assam and an associate of Shakil Ahmed alias Shamin, the JMB terrorist who died in that IED blast in Burdwan. All the six including, Rafikul Islam, Shiraj Ali Khan, Jahuruddin, Golam Usmani and Sarbesh Ali, have been charged under different sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.