The chief of the Detective Branch of police yesterday said local militants recently taken into custody were in touch with international militant networks.
“Bangladeshi militants have not only established links with Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria and al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) but also with militant groups in other countries,” DB Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam said.
He said the local militants had online contacts with the international groups.
Monirul made the announcement after the arrest yesterday of suspected IS recruiters in the capital’s Uttara neighbourhood. The arrestees are Md Aminul Islam Begh, suspected IS recruiter and regional coordinator of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), and his associate, Sakib Bin Kamal. A laptop, three cell phones, seven jihadi books by various authors and a diary were seized from their possession.
“The recovered items prove the arrestees are members of a militant outfit,” SM Jahangir Alam Sarker, deputy commissioner of the DMP, said.
According to detectives, Aminul had completed a Bachelor’s degree in computer science from a Malaysian university and works as a technology chief at a multinational company. Sakib also completed his university degree at a private university and works in a private school.
Monirul said Aminul had gathered a large amount of information about IS activities and was in contact with the network online. “He then began recruiting people for them. Aminul also operated a blog site.”
At a briefing at the DMP Media and Community Centre, Monirul said Aminul, a JMB leader, used his network to select 20 young people across the country to send them abroad to work for IS. “Sakib was among the 20 chosen by Aminul.
“All of the people intended for recruitment previously worked with JMB but, inspired by Aminul’s lead, were preparing to work for IS.
“We have collected information about the other 19 from the arrestees and have reason to believe all are experts in the use of technology and have received higher education.”
Asked about the intended recruits’ finances, Monirul said the 20 suspects all belong to wealthy families and several are employed. “They have the capacity to collect funds to go abroad and join IS.”
Monirul said JMB has a nation-wide network and its members are active, so selecting financially self-supporting candidates to fight abroad is a relatively easy task.
He said the militants’ objective is to establish an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and then to take the jihadist fight to the whole world.
Monirul said the arrestees consider IS boss Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi to be their leader.
The DMP has so far arrested 15 people, including these two suspects, for suspected involvement with IS.
Asked whether Aminul and Sakib were connected to the previous arrestees, Monirul said that would only be known for certain after interrogating them in remand.
“We are investigating whether the two were involved in the death threat letters sent recently to 10 important personalities of the country,” Monirul added.
The DB chief said police officials, cultural activists, journalists, bloggers and others were all potential targets of militant extremists.
The arrestees were shown arrested in a case filed with Uttara West police station and placed before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka yesterday evening, where detectives sought 10-day remand.
Metropolitan Magistrate Mostafizur Rahman granted three days’ remand for each arrestee.