Emerging terrorist organization Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya has been planning and training young members for armed strikes in Bangladesh.
This information was discovered during interrogations following the arrest of four members of this new militant group, including an explosives expert, from the Patiya Bypass area of Chittagong. The militants were arrested in early February, RAB Legal and Media Wing Director Commander Khandaker Al Moin said during a press conference at RAB-7's Chandgaon camp.
The arrestees were identified as Hossain Ahmad, 22, of Patuakhali's Dasmina area, Al Amin, 22, of Comilla Sadar, Al Amin alias Partha Kumar Das, 21, of Khulna's Dumuria area, and Nihal Abdullah, 19, of Comilla Sadar.
When asked about the major goal of this new militant organization, he said: "We have not been able to bring the chiefs, like Amirs, heads of the Dawati section, and heads of finance, under the law yet. Those arrested so far in this, however, have stated that they have been informed of preparations for an armed attack within the country at some point.”
Trainee militants were told to train and be ready for when the attack order came, the RAB official added.
RAB Legal and Media Wing Director Commander Khandaker Al Moin during a press conference at RAB-7's Chandgaon camp Dhaka Tribune“However, we have arrested the bomb specialists, those who are training to make bombs. After the analysis of the equipment and the statements of the arrestees, I assume that they planned sabotage or a bomb attack somewhere within the country, in accordance with the directions of the organization's Amir,” he said.The RAB official also said a significant and shocking video clip had been found, and details would be revealed after the clip has been reviewed and analysed.
Four or five individuals escaped
According to the information of the four arrestees, there were four to five passengers in another CNG auto-rickshaw during the operation. These four or five persons were able to flee while the others were captured.
Long-term brainwashing
The four arrested persons joined militancy after being encouraged by friends, acquaintances, and, in many cases, prominent neighbourhood residents. The trainees undergo physical and mental training in various parts of the country before going to the Chittagong Hill Tracts for arms training from a separatist organization.
Dhaka Tribune“Their greatest strengths are religious misinterpretation and inciting rage against the country's law enforcement and government. This process of converting someone to militancy is rather protracted. They were incited to militancy by 2020 or early 2021. After a year and a half, they left. At this time, individuals are frequently brainwashed, progressively separated from the existing social structures, and thinking through numerous misrepresentations. They eventually lose their ability to think and turned to religious misinterpretation,” the RAB director said.
55 individuals trained in three stages
Cmdr Khandaker Al Moin said 55 persons willingly went through three phases of training in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
In the initial phase, 12 persons were trained in February 2021. In November 2021, a group of 31 persons went to the Kuki-Chin Training Center (KTC) in the name of so-called Hijrat. Later, in September 2022, a total of 55 persons, including the aforementioned trainees and 12 more, went to the Chittagong Hill Tracts for three phases of training.
RAB claims to have identified 31 to 32 of these 55 individuals, so far. Commander Khandaker Al Moin said: “We have brought 27 of the 55 persons under the law. On June 6, another separatist group assassinated a man named Doctor Ahmed. In his honour, a KTC camp was also established. On December 25, another militant, Al Amin, was killed in training. We have identified 29 persons so far, and the police have identified two. So far, we have identified 31 or 32 persons out of 55 people. Two of them were returned to their families.
How the four arrested became involved in militancy
According to RAB, Hossain was among the four arrested while studying in a madrasa in the capital. He met Rakib, a Shura member of Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya, through a man named Siraj.
Arrested Al Amin is also a madrasa student. He was studying in a madrasa in Comilla. He turned to militancy in 2021 after being encouraged by a classmate, Fahim.
Fahim inspired him to militancy by showing him footage of Muslims being tortured in foreign nations and recommending jihad books. Fahim has already been apprehended by law enforcement.
Dhaka TribuneArrested Md Al Amin, alias Partha Kumar Das, attended a school in Khulna's Dumuria district till the eighth grade. He converted to Islam in 2018 through a local imam, and moved to Dhaka to work as a security guard. He then met Rakib through Siraj.
Nihal Abdullah is one of eight missing teenagers in Comilla. He became interested in militancy after meeting Imam Habibullah of Quba Mosque.
Nihal met Rakib, a Shura member of Jamaatul Ansar Al Fil Hindal Sharqiya, through Habibullah. Rakib was the one who brought them all to training after inducting them into the military.
According to the commander, the four arrested individuals have been turned over to the local police station for further legal action.
Habibullah has already been arrested.
