‘7-8 kingpins of New JMB identified’

“We have already got the possible organisational names of the masterminds of Gulshan restaurant. They belong to a new faction of banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), known as New JMB,” said Monirul Islam, chief of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit. “If we can collect their photos, hopefully we will get their real names and addresses too,” he said, citing the example of Marjan. While talking to some reporters during an informal briefing at the DMP media centre, Additional Commissioner Monirul said: “We have already got details of Tamim and Marjan. They are staying inside Bangladesh.” He added that the suspected eight New JMB leaders were also staying in Bangladesh. Monirul hinted that the group might have foreign connection. “But it needs more investigation and verification to say anything clearly about it.” Regarding the Gulshan attack probe, he said that former NSU teacher Hasnat Reza Karim was the only accused arrested in the case. In the remand prayer, police mentioned that Hasnat was an active member of banned Hizb ut-Tahrir and Tahmid Hasib Khan his associate. Asked whether they had found Hasnat’s involvement in the attack, Monirul said: “He was shown arrested in the case for his previous link to a militant organisation, his presence at the crime scene and his pictures that surfaced in media in close position with an attacker.” Monirul also said that they had got some information about Tahmid and were verifying those. A highly-placed source in the law enforcement agencies said that of the New JMB masterminds, they were searching for Ripon and Khaled, who had been closely involved with Marjan. After primarily investigation, it was found that Ripon hails from Jamalpur while Khaled from a northern district. Monirul said that the JMB members were getting support from the Ahle Hadith community, who have a “strong base in the northern districts.” The investigators have also found a Gaibandha sanitary businessman, Toufiqul Islam Sabuj, for maintaining good ties with Marjan. He is now in jail.