"Whatever be the allegations, we are not involved anyway in militancy," acting Ahab chief Dr Md Muslehuddin claimed at a press conference in the city.

He however did not substantiate his claim and failed to answer properly queries from journalists.

Categorically blaming Jamaat-e Islami for militancy in the country, the Ahab leader said, "There is no need to find out who are behind militancy. They (Jamaat) themselves confessed to such crimes. Has Nizami (Jamaat chief and minister Motiur Rahman Nizami ) been arrested although most people and organisations are holding him responsible (for militancy)?"

In an oblique reference to Jamaat, he said political vengeance of an Islamic party was responsible for arrests of Galib and other Ahab leaders.

Muslehuddin, a Madina University scholar and teacher at Chittagong Islamic University established by the suspect Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS), said false propaganda by some expelled Ahab leaders, newspaper reports and wrong intelligence reports also led to arrests of Ahab leaders.

"Intelligence agencies of our country appear to be ever asleep , we doubt if they are alerted even after August 17 (countrywide blasts," he said.

The press conference was attended by, among others, Ahab General Secretary Abdul Wadud, Galib-run Al Tahreek editor Dr Sakhawat Hossain, Ahle Hadith Jubo Sangha (AHJS) acting President Kabirul Islam and Rajshahi Ahab President Abul Kalam Azad.

Al Qaeda links
Asked how he can deny Ahab links to Al Qaeda when Osama Bin Laden's close associate Sheikh Abdullah Nasser Al Rahmani of Pakistan was welcomed at an Ahab conference, Muslehuddin said, "We invited him as a famous alem (Islamic scholar)."

Criticising the US, Muslehuddin said, " Someone's being on America's list of terrorists does not mean one is a terrorist."

At a 1997 Ahab conference, Galib named a number of guests from India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, including Nasser Al Rahmani, an alleged leader of Saudi Hizbullah. US Federal Bureau of Investigation announced rewards of $5 million for his arrest.

Matin Salafi
On the presence of Abdul Matin Salafi from India, who was expelled from Bangladesh in 1988 for militancy, Muslehuddin said, "We invite people irrespective of ideologies and anyone can address our annual conference."

He kept mum when asked how Matin Salafi can be 'anyone' when Galib had a joint account with him at Motijheel Branch of Islami Bank Bangladesh between July 1989 and May 1990 (after his expulsion).

Matin Salafi helped Galib collect funds and establish links to militants abroad, especially in the Middle East and South Asia, investigators said.

Military issue
Muslehuddin confirmed Galib's speeches in 1997 revealing his outfit's underground' activities inside Bangladesh army's UN peacekeeping mission in Kuwait as reported in different national newspapers. He said, "Our Daoat (invitation) is no secret and we convinced military men through reaching them our publications."

Replying to questions, Ahab central Muballig (preacher) Maulana SM Abdul Latif said not only Akramuzzaman (former AHJS worker and now a director of RIHS) worked inside the mission and (Entaz Ali) Zakaria (of Tangail) is still working there.

Galib told the 1997 conference, "I sent two of my Jubo Sangha boys to Kuwait. They converted 4,000 people into Ahab men in last one and a half years. You will be delighted to know that 3,000 of them (converted) are members of the army. The rest are common people from Comilla and Noakhali".

Corroborating the speech, a publication of the RIHS mentioned in its preface Akramuzzaman's 'heroism' for working inside the army mission in Kuwait.

Investigators also found Kuwait government officials' clearance for his visit with the RIHS intervention.

Militant link
"Allegations of JMB links are nothing but false and misleading", Muslehuddin said replying to questions on Galib's links to JMB chief Abdur Rahman.

But Galib recommended Rahman's study in Madina University.

At a press conference before his arrest in February, Galib however said Rahman had no contacts with him after his return from Madina University.

On Ahab publications seized from arrested militants, Muslehuddin said, "I have a copy of Geeta, will this make me a Hindu?"

About the arrestee militants with Ahab links, he said, they were not Ahab workers.

Link with Nasratullah
Ahab leaders said Galib cut off relations with Nasratullah (nephew of Akramuzzaman) after he joined militancy.

Dr Galib during his pilgrimage to Makkah in 2000 along with Jamaat leaders Maulana Delwar Hossain Saydee and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad met the then Madina University student Nasratullah.

Nasratullah was killed while making bombs in Chittagong in 2001. A fresh militant outfit --Nasratullah Brigrade -- was formed later, said police.

On Government role
Ahab leaders replied in the negative when Asked if Ahab has a 'secret pact' with the government for Galib's release before the next elections.

But Muslehuddin said the government claims there are documents (seized CDs and documents from his house) that can prove Galib's links to militants but it could not prove that in court.

Asked if the government is hiding 'alamat' (documents) following the 'secretpact', Ahab leaders said it is not true.

Galib against the country
Asked about Galib's comments and speeches against democracy, parliament, constitution and the very election system, Muslehuddin said, "We honour law of the land but this law does not work always."

Number Ahab Followers
Replying to a question if Ahab is a small group within Ahle Hadith community, Ahab leaders said they (Ahle Hadith) claim they have 3 crore supporters.

Asked if their claim is for influencing the government, they said no.

Sources said there are 3 crore Ahle Hadith people in the country, of whom Ahab has a section. After splitting from Dr Abdul Bari's Jomiyate Ahle Hadith, Dr Galib constituted Ahab. Ahab also split into two groups over Galib's militancy.