Mission Syria
Three suspected militants, who were among those arrested in the last one year for alleged IS links, had plans to recruit jihadi fighters and go to Turkey disguised as Tablighi Jamaat men en route to Syria, reads the charge sheet against them.
Since September last year, about 15 suspects have been arrested for “having or trying to establish contacts” with Islamic State (IS), according to police press releases and briefings at different times.
In July this year, detectives pressed charges against three of the detainees -- Samiun Rahman alias Ibn Hamdan, a British citizen of Bangladesh origin who allegedly fought in Syria, and his two recruits Asif Adnan Shuvo and Fazle Elahi Tanzil.
The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the charge sheet.
“They planned to recruit 8/10 fighters and go to Syria. For this, they decided to go to Turkey first, disguised as members of Tablighi Jamaat [an Islamic movement to spread faith],” reads the charge sheet, submitted to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka on July 22.
Shuvo and Tanzil were supposed to be the first recruits to go to Syria, it said.
“Apart from recruiting mujahideens and sending them to Syria, the ultimate goal of Samiun was to carry out subversive activities in South Asia and destabilise the region in keeping with the vision of al-Qaeda in the Indian Sub-Continent (AQIS).”
The accused had also plans to destroy the country's integrity and disrupt public safety, it read.
According to the charge sheet, Samiun fought in Syria for pro-al-Qaeda terrorist group “Nusra Brigade” from September to December in 2013. He was arrested by British police at the end of December that year for his involvement in militancy.
“He came out of jail on bond and went to Syria again through Turkey. Later, he came to Bangladesh from Turkey on February 25 last year to recruit mujahideens for IS and Nusra Brigade.”
Shuvo and Tanzil were arrested from the city's Segunbagicha on September 24 last year and Samiun after four days from Kamalapur Railway Station. A case was filed against them with Shahbagh Police Station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
DB Inspector Aslam Ali Sheikh, who investigated the case, said in the charge sheet that all the allegations against the accused were primarily proved and they should be brought to trial.
Meanwhile, investigation into two other cases, filed with the Cantonment Police Station against five arrested suspects, primarily found that these accused too were planning to collect members for IS and go to Syria.
The accused -- Abdullah al Galib, Fida Muntasir Saker, Faiyaz Islam, Asif Pathan Rahat and Sabbir Hossain -- were conspiring to attack some key institutions and kill important persons in the country, according to the case statements.
“They had plans to collect fund and arms from IS,” read statements.
The government has ruled out any IS presence in Bangladesh after the global terror body reportedly claimed responsibility for the murder of Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella and Japanese citizen Kunio Hoshi.
However, amid concerns by foreign diplomats and international bodies, law enforcers have taken some additional measures, including frequent patrolling in the capital's diplomatic zone, to ensure security for foreigners.
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