Ahab leaders at an informal press meet also said they had close links with Jamaat before the arrest of Galib and three other top brass.

They termed baseless and fabricated the statements of militants on which the arrest was made.

The Ahab arranged the meet at a short verbal notice at its ameer's office in Naodapara in the city.

It also announced a rally in Shaheb Bazar in the city on June 3 to demand immediate release of Galib and other leaders.

Galib, also an Arabic professor at Rajshahi University, his second-in command Shaikh Abdus Samad Salafi, Ahab General Secretary Nurul Islam and Organising Secretary ASM Azizullah were arrested on February 23.

"Fearing the increasing support for Ahab, Jamaat supported the arrest to gain organisational advan tage. The BNP, on the other hand, gained political profit from the arrest," said Abdul Latif, Ahab 'muballig' (promoter).

"Jamaat and Shibir are capturing the fields where our men used to dominate, while BNP got instant relief from foreign pressure for action against militants," he explained.

Galib maintained relations with a number of Jamaat leaders cherishing Ahle Hadith ideology to convert them to Ahab, the meet was told.

"I witnessed several times Dr Galib having talks with Saidee sir (Jamaat lawmaker Delwar Hossain Saidee) over cellphone," said Mozaffar, office secretary of Ahle Hadith Jubo Sangha (AHJS), youth wing of Ahab.

Asked about the statements of Shafiqullah and Selim, arrested in Bogra and Gopalganj, that pointed to Ahab activities for Jihad and its attack on NGOs, the leaders said they are 'bogus'.

Ahab-run monthly At Tahreek Editor Muhammad Shakhawat Hossain, AHJS President Aminul Islam, among others, addressed the conference.

Meantime, a four-member interrogation cell yesterday questioned Galib and his three associates, now on a three-day remand in Sirajganj, in connection with Ullapara Grameen Bank blast, reports our Gaibandha correspondent.