Bangladesh police arrest 'top Qaeda militant'
DHAKA: Bangladesh police said Thursday they had arrested 12 suspected militants including the local head of Al Qaeda's branch in the region, foiling an attack planned for the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramazan.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) also seized explosives and other bomb-making materials during raids on Wednesday, July 2, on the militants' hideouts in the capital Dhaka, spokesman Major Maksudul Alam said.
"During the raids we arrested 12 militants including Maolana Mainul Islam who is the chief coordinator of AQIS in Bangladesh," RAB's Alam told AFP.
Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) had been planning an unspecified attack in the Muslim-majority nation after Eidul Fitr, which celebrates the end of Ramazan, Commander Mufti Mahmud Khan, the most senior RAB spokesman, told reporters.
“They've selected a madrassa in (the northern district of) Bogra for training,” he said, adding that the group was financed by individuals from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
AQIS has claimed responsibility for the murder of several secular bloggers in Bangladesh this year, including the hacking to death of Bangladeshi-born US citizen Avijit Roy in Dhaka in February.
Last September, Al Qaeda released a video announcing the establishment of a branch on the Indian subcontinent, AQIS, saying it wanted to revive jihadist activity.
Bangladesh, home to the world's fourth largest Muslim population, has not been hit by a major militant attack since 2006.
Although the country has in recent years witnessed a rise in support for a hardline Islamist political group, experts say there is little appetite for religious extremism in the country. There are also no known cases of Bangladeshis joining the Islamic State group.
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Comments (13) Closed
Good Job BD RAB.
What a coincidence! Punjab Police killed one too!!!!
Good work BD police. Now interrogate them and arrest more....
Get rid of this cancer. Slowly but surely.
BD is doing well.. and is becoming a good example for others to follow.
Excellent job by BD. These anti terror policies and actions are in line with Indian policies and actions to root out "all forms" of terrorism. Wish other nations in the sub-continent Learn and follow instead of promoting good taliban/bad taliban distinctions.
Governments and security services that are sincerely doing their jobs, would catch these people. We have lost a huge part of our country and no one and I mean absolutely no one has every been convicted of this crime. Well done Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is changing fast. The meance of extrimism is been dealt with iron hand. The leadership has a political will and people are supporting this. Unfortunately we are still playing with extrimism for political gains. Also our China centric will not attract free market investment.
Last few months BD has arrested lot of terrorists like this. Only today I saw this in Dawn. Anyway, terrorists are always in a run in BD. Yesterday World Bank has declared BD is mid developed country. Feeling proud of being a Bangladesh .
Bangladesh declared "zero tolerance" to terrorism and is already growing as a huge economy in the region!
Good job BD...our politicians should take lessons from BD in how to manage this scourge in Pakistan.
Pakistan should also handle these terrorists similarly and reach out to other neighbours too apart from China. Last heard, China is making an economic corridor to Nepal.
Congratulations Bangladesh, way to go. You, Burma, Sri Lanka and even Afghanistan are all shining beacons of common sense and the right thing to do while dealing with terrorists. May your kind thrive.
Comments (13) Closed
Good Job BD RAB.
What a coincidence! Punjab Police killed one too!!!!
Good work BD police. Now interrogate them and arrest more....
Get rid of this cancer. Slowly but surely.
BD is doing well.. and is becoming a good example for others to follow.
Excellent job by BD. These anti terror policies and actions are in line with Indian policies and actions to root out "all forms" of terrorism. Wish other nations in the sub-continent Learn and follow instead of promoting good taliban/bad taliban distinctions.
Governments and security services that are sincerely doing their jobs, would catch these people. We have lost a huge part of our country and no one and I mean absolutely no one has every been convicted of this crime. Well done Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is changing fast. The meance of extrimism is been dealt with iron hand. The leadership has a political will and people are supporting this. Unfortunately we are still playing with extrimism for political gains. Also our China centric will not attract free market investment.
Last few months BD has arrested lot of terrorists like this. Only today I saw this in Dawn. Anyway, terrorists are always in a run in BD. Yesterday World Bank has declared BD is mid developed country. Feeling proud of being a Bangladesh .
Bangladesh declared "zero tolerance" to terrorism and is already growing as a huge economy in the region!
Good job BD...our politicians should take lessons from BD in how to manage this scourge in Pakistan.
Pakistan should also handle these terrorists similarly and reach out to other neighbours too apart from China. Last heard, China is making an economic corridor to Nepal.
Congratulations Bangladesh, way to go. You, Burma, Sri Lanka and even Afghanistan are all shining beacons of common sense and the right thing to do while dealing with terrorists. May your kind thrive.