The recent call by al-Qaeda Chief Ayman al-Zawahiri is the inspiration for militants in Bangladesh – this is apparent after the latest arrest of five militant suspects on Wednesday.
“Inspired” by the recent call by the al-Qaeda chief Zawahiri, a group of local militants were preparing to wage armed war against Bangladesh to establish Shariah law, through organising AQIS (al-Qaida in the Indian Sub-Continent), the detective and investigation wing of of Dhaka Metropolitan police came up with the statement on Thursday.
The DMP news website quoted police officers that the interrogated arrestees have stated that they are inspired by the al-Queda chief's recent speech that called for as armed war in the Indian sub continent, including Bangladesh.
To organise AQIS (al-Qaida in the Indian Sub-Continent), they initially planned to train under the Nusra Brigade of Syria. As part of their plan, the militants were preparing to go to Turkey first, and then Syria in the disguise of Tabligh-e-Jamaat.
DMP Assistant Commissioner (DB) Md Monirul Islam, came up with this information in a press-conference organised at the at it's media centre on Thursday.
At the press conference, the police officer confirmed that a DB team led by Police Commissioner, Md Nazmul Alam and Assistant Police Commissioner, Mahmud Naser Jony arrested the two members of the militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla team, Asif Adnan, 26, and Fazle Elahi Tanjil, 24, from Segunbagicha and Eskaton, both localities of Dhaka.
A computer, three celluler telephone sets, 2 pendrives and three CDs, were also recovered from their possession.
In another drive, a DB team led by police commissioner Md Jahangir arrested three suspected militants of banned militant outfit Harkatul Jihad from Rampura, Dhaka. The arrestees are Khairul Islam, aged 24, Shafiqul Islam alias Shafiq, aged 35, and Mohammad Ahsanullah, aged 24.
Explosive materials, circuit design for bomb making, remote control devices and a laptop were also recovered.
AC Monirul said the police recovered important information from the phone messages and conversation of the militants.
The other aide of the arrestees, Sikandar Ali Naki, who was arrested a week earlier, could manage to remove some of the important evidences, The police officer also said.
Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, on September 3, announced the creation of a branch in this region. In a 55-minute video posted online, al-Zawahiri urges Muslims to “wage jihad against its enemies, to liberate the land, to restore sovereignty, and to revive its caliphate.”
IUT student designs remote controlled bomb
The militants confessed that they were preparing for massive subversive activity, and they had huge explosive materials for that, the police officer is quoted as saying.
AC Monirul said the arrested militants has revealed names of their remaining cohorts, one of whom residing in UK, recently visited Bangladesh to organise the al-Qaeda network to oust the government through subversive activities.
Khairul, an arrestee who is a student of the Islamic University of Technology, Gazipur, told police officers that under the instruction of some senior cleric, he designed a circuit for a remote controlled bomb that can be exploded from afar.
He also said he confessed that others are also working to make similar bombs.
