JMB behind these
Outlawed militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh was behind the recent killing of a Japanese national in Rangpur and shooting of an Italian pastor in Dinajpur, police claim.
Humayun Kabir, deputy inspector general of police (Rangpur Range), said this while talking to reporters at his office in presence of the superintendents of police of eight districts under Rangpur division yesterday afternoon.
The police have so far arrested 18 suspected JMB members in different districts of the division in connection with the attacks, said DIG Humayun Kabir.
Of them, five were held in Rangpur, seven in Dinajpur and three each in Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat.
During raids to arrest them the police also seized firearms and ammunition including an AK-22 rifle, three foreign pistols, 47 rounds of bullet, three motorcycles, laptops, a significant amount of explosives and jihadi books.
The Rangpur police range chief claims apart from the killing of Japanese national Hoshi Kunio and shooting of Italian doctor and pastor Piero Arolari, the outfit was involved in the killing of Rahmat Ali, a caretaker of a shrine in Kaunia, on November 11 and shooting of Ruhul Amin, a Bahai community leader and employee of Rangpur Medical College Hospital, on November 8.
The banned Islamist outfit was also responsible for explosive attacks during Rash Mela at Kantajir Temple and another temple in Dinajpur, he claimed.
He alleged JMB member Ishaque Ali, who was arrested on December 7 at Pirgachha of Rangpur and later sent to the district jail, was the custodian and supplier of arms, ammunition and explosives to the attackers.
Ishaque gave a confessional statement before a judicial magistrate's court in Rangpur on Monday, admitting his involvement in the killings of Kunio and Rahmat.
Ishaque was in Iraq and worked there as a labourer, said the police official but could not say if he had any militant link there.
Ishaque's brother Insar Ali was a JMB regional commander and had a connection with another arrestee Masud Rana, claimed the police official.
Masud, who was arrested in Pirgachha on November 25, received training from Insar, who had gone to Libya and died there.
After his death, Masud became the regional commander of that JMB unit.
Masud also gave a confessional statement before a judicial magistrate's court on December 7 admitting his direct involvement in shooting of Kunio and Rahmat.
He also admitted his involvement in carrying out an attack on Bahai community leader Ruhul.
The DIG also said the arrestees were trying to regroup to carry out subversive activities in a bid to create an unstable situation in the country.
“They wanted to establish 'deen' in Bangladesh, misinterpreting religion. That is why they carried out attacks on people belonging to other religions,” he told the reporters.
But, the law-enforcement agencies remained vigilant and active to foil their attempts, he added.
Replying to a query on arrests of some BNP men and their alleged involvement in the Kunio killing, the DIG said police had initially arrested them on “the basis of information”, adding that different law-enforcement agencies were investigating the incidents.
Although the JMB men confessed to being involved in the crimes, there might be other masterminds, he observed.
Asked about any international links behind the crimes, the DIG replied in the negative.
He also said police had recently arrested another suspected JMB man Fuad Hossain at Palashbari of Gaibandha and recovered a laptop containing images of Afghan war, training manuals on militancy and significant number of jihadi books.
He added security measures had been beefed up in the districts to ward off any attempt of attack ahead of the Victory Day celebrations.
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