Police in Dhaka have claimed that the elder brother of Saiful Haque Sujan, a UK-based businessman who later became a computer hacker for the Islamic State and killed in an air strike in Syria on December 10, is also involved in terror financing in Bangladesh.
At least five family members and relatives of Saiful including his wife Saima Akhter Mukta and elder brother Ataul Haque Sabuj are currently working for the IS either in Syria or in Spain, several police officials confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune.
Saiful was killed near Raqqah in a US-led air strike.
Investigators claimed that they had foiled attempts of militant activities in early December by arresting Saiful’s father Abul Hasanat, 67, and four others with Tk39 lakh in their possessions.
Saiful owned iBacs Technologies, an IT firm established in 2005 in the UK. His brother Sabuj, who lives in Spain, is the managing director of the firm. Sabuj moved to Spain around six months ago and wed a converted Muslim woman.
The company operates business in the UK, the USA, Denmark, Jordan and Australia, according to the website.
Investigators said that they had launched probe against iBacs and its accounts after the arrest of the five persons in Dhaka. They found that iBacs is used as a platform for financing terror outfits in at least 10 countries.
Detectives said that the accused were collecting funds and recruiting members for a terrorist organisation, but did not want to disclose the name of the outfit.
Police say Saiful’s widow Saima, her youngest sister Rabeya Akhter Tumpa along with Saiful’s friend Shariful Islam Emon, another UK-based IT entrepreneur, with three toddlers are currently working for the IS. Emon and his wife travelled to London with Saiful.
DB Inspector Kabir Hossain lodged a First Information Report with Tejgaon police in connection with the arrest on December 9.
The case was filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act accusing seven people – Saiful and his two brothers Sabuj and Hasanul Haque Galib, 15; Saiful’s father Hasanat; his brother-in-law Tajul Islam Shakil, 25; iBacs’s Dhaka office Accountant Nahiduddozza Miah, 30, and a so-called house tutor Nahidul Islam Nahid, 19.
“We arrested them in Dhaka when they were handing over Tk38.86 lakh to terrorists,” DB Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam said.
According to the FIR, Hasanul and his father Hasanat, and Nahiduddozza, Nahidul and Tajul were active operatives of a militant organisation.
They gathered in front of TCB Bhaban in the capital’s Karwan Bazar area on December 8 to carry out subversive activities in the capital. However, the case did not mention the name of the outfit they were working for. The money was seized from the possession of Hasanat.
Investigators said they were examining all the financial details of iBacs.
According to the FIR, Ataul and Saiful had sent the money to Nahiduzzaman recently through one Anwar of “Binimoy Money Exchange” in Motijheel to carry out militant activities.
The police also interrogated Saiful’s step mother Momtaz Begum, who had identified Saiful from his photograph, and her 12-year-old son Ehsanul Haque Sakib recently. Later they were released.
The family said Saiful had gone to the UK for studies in 2003. In late 2014, he took his pregnant wife and their son, and nephew Aman to London.