Two militants back from Afghan war--Abdul Quddus Khan Salafi and Abul Kalam Azad--trained a large number of newly recruited JMB members there who came from adjoining districts, police sources told this correspondent. Abdul Quddus is on remand and Abul Kalam is on the run. Most of the newly recruited JMB members were madrasa students, they told police during interrogation.

Rangpur Police Superintendent Hasif Aziz said, "We are almost sure that Salafi is a returnee from Afghan war. He used to train JMB militants at in the remote Teesta shoals. A large number of JMB militants received training there"

He said police are not yet sure if Salafi had connection with al-Qaeda. He is being quizzed.

Police sources said, police is hunting for Abul Kalam Azad who had been at large following countrywide bomb blasts on August 17, 2005. He is still visiting different clandestine JMB training camps in the northern districts.

He visited Protapjoysen Madrasa at Annadanagor in Pirgachha upazila a few days before the four JMB cadres were arrested, police said.

Rangpur DB police arrested Abdul Quddus Khan Salafi, Rubel Hosen, Mohidul Islam and Anisur Rahan from different areas of the district on Thursday. Rubel was a member of Islami Chhatra Shibir, a police official of Pirgachha thana said.

Police sources said, at least 10 training camps were run in remote shoal areas of Teesta and Brammahputra in Rangpur and Kurigram districts.

Madrasas and mosques in those areas were chosen for training camps to avoid attention of the law and order enforcers.