December 31, 2024: A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Bengaluru on Monday sentenced Bangladeshi national Jahidul Islam to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for promoting terrorist activities in India under the aegis of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB - India).

In addition to the prison term, Jahidul Islam was fined ₹57,000 for offenses including robbery, conspiracy, fundraising, and procuring ammunition to further the terror group's agenda. The conviction marks a significant milestone in India's counter-terrorism efforts, with 11 individuals convicted in related cases so far.

The case originated in June 2019 when Bengaluru City police registered an FIR based on information gathered during the NIA's investigation into the 2014 Burdwan blast, conducted by its Kolkata Branch Office. The NIA took over the case and uncovered Jahidul's involvement in various terror-related activities spanning several years.

According to investigators, Jahidul Islam, along with absconding JMB leader Salauddin Salehin, illegally entered India in 2014 after escaping Bangladeshi police custody for his role in the 2005 serial blasts in Bangladesh. While in hiding, the duo orchestrated the October 2014 Burdwan blast and later moved to Bengaluru. There, Jahidul radicalized and recruited young men from West Bengal and Assam to join JMB's anti-India operations.

Jahidul and his associates were also implicated in the January 2018 Bodhgaya blast. The investigation revealed that they funded their activities through a series of robberies in Bengaluru in 2018. The looted money was used to procure ammunition, secure safe houses, and conduct training for terrorist operations.

Efforts to apprehend other absconding suspects, including JMB leader Salehin, are ongoing, officials said. The NIA's probe continues to focus on dismantling the JMB network and preventing further threats to India's security.

This conviction underscores the critical role of coordinated efforts between law enforcement agencies in combating terrorism and maintaining national security.