The second-in-command of the central military unit of banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Kamal alias Hiron was directly involved in last year’s bombing on a Shia procession in Old Dhaka, police claimed.
JMB’s Dhaka north military wing commander Abdullah Al Noman alias Abdullah planned and executed the attack, Detective Branch (DB) Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam told reporters in Dhaka yesterday.
The duo was killed in an alleged gunfight with DB at Hazaribagh on Wednesday night. Before that, police had arrested three suspects - Md Arman, Jahid Hasan Rana alias Mushab, and Nur Mohammad alias Lengra Master - in Kamrangirchor. They raided Hazaribagh to arrest Abdullah and Hiron based on information provided by the detainees.
Monirul said three suspected militants, arrested in Mirpur, told them that Hiron, Shakeel alias Mushtaq, Abdullah alias Noman, Ripon, Fardeen alias Sajal frequented their hideout at Shah Ali area and taught them how to make improvised bombs. Police said they conducted a raid at Kamrangirchor based on the information.
Joint Commissioner Monirul claimed those detained in Kamrangirchor were JMB members, who had been trained for about two months. He claimed Nur Mohammad’s house in Savar was used by the JMB as a hideout where they held regular meetings and planned subversive activities.
The unprecedented attack on Shias on October 23, as they were preparing to take out their traditional Tajia procession, left two persons dead and dozens wounded.
DB officer Monirul said Hiron, a close aide of JMB leader Al Bani alias Hojja, was involved in the killing of two policemen in Gabtoli and Ashulia. Police sources said, Hiron planned attack on police after his mentor Hojja was killed in an alleged gunfight with security forces on November 25 last year.
Police said they were looking for suspected JMB militants Sajib and Tarek who were involved in the killing of two policemen and the Hossaini Dalan bomb blast.
According to DB officer Monirul, there was a rift between Hiron and Shakil after police recovered grenades and explosives from JMB’s Shah Ali hideout and that Hiron had planned to kill Shakil.
He said the JMB members were not that active in Dhaka and were focused on the northern parts of Bangladesh. Asked who were financing militant activities in the country, he said: “Those who are trying to thwart trials of suspected war criminals and put the government in a tight spot are funding these militant outfits.”
