Despite the BJP-led government’s relentless efforts to thwart the sinister designs of Islamic terror groups, operatives from various such groups have continued to work overtime to foment trouble. This has been proved by the fact that the Special Task Force (STF) of the Assam Police recently apprehended three persons working for the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) from Dhubri, Chirang, and Barpeta. According to the police, the three arrested individuals have been identified as Akramul Islam (26) of Beparipara in the Dhubri district, Aminur Rahman (22) of Dhupiri village in the Chirang district, and Abdul Hussain (54) of Kalgachia in the Barpeta district. The Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) is a notorious Pakistan-based terrorist-criminal network which operates in association with, and under the directions of, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan, through Pakistan-based handlers and encrypted communication channels. It has allegedly been involved in the recruitment of youth, particularly from those districts in Assam that have a sizeable population of immigrant origin with roots in erstwhile East Bengal/Pakistan and present-day Bangladesh. Following their recruitment, these young men are put through a process of online radicalisation and training in reconnaissance, logistics, espionage, illegal procurement of arms, establishment of sleeper cells, and facilitation of terrorist activities in different parts of the country. While this incident is the first time that operatives of the SBN have been apprehended in Assam, it is well-known that a number of other Islamic terror groups having bases in Pakistan and Bangladesh have been found working secretly in the state. Multiple operations have in the recent few months led to the arrest of over 16 persons linked to ABT and AQIS in districts like Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Morigaon, and Goalpara. It’s important to note these districts have undergone massive demographic change in the past three or four decades, because of which the indigenous communities have been pushed into a state of insecurity. The lists of arrested individuals include imams attached to local mosques, as well as individuals engaged as teachers in madrassa schools. Often, these imams and teachers were found allegedly providing shelter to foreign operatives apart from helping in the recruitment of local youth to work for the terror groups.