'Cops foil plot to kill Islamic scholar in Dhaka'
Counter-terrorism unit today claimed to have foiled a plot to kill a top Islamic scholar for his outspoken stance against militancy by arresting six “Neo JMB” operatives in Dhaka last night.
Acting on a tip-off, police arrested them in New Market area of Dhaka, Monirul Islam, chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, briefed reporters at DMP media centre.
He, however, did not disclose name of the Islamic scholar on security ground but said the suspected militants targeted him for his stance against militancy.
Two of the arrestees — Jahidul Islam alias Zoha alias Mashrur, 23, Abu Bakar Siddique alis Abu Mohammad, 19 –already spotted the house of the Islamic scholar to kill him, Monirul said.
Of the arrestees, Jahidul used to collect money from their sympathisers to raise fund for the militant organisation, the CTTC official said.
The other arrestees are- Mohammadullah Adnan, 19, who lead Tarawih prayer at a mosque in New Market area, Mehedi Hasan Emon alias Abu Hamza, 21, Khalid Saifullah alias Abu Musab, 19, and Shamsuddin Al Amin alias Abu Ahmad.
“They used to gather at the mosque and discuss their plan to implement the killing mission,” Monirul said.
They were hatching the plan to carry out the attack during the month of Ramadan to mark one year anniversary of the deadly Holey Artisan Bakery attack on July 1 last year.
Twenty hostages, most of them foreigners, and two police officials were killed in the attack.
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