Rigan left home to go to Syria
He became radicalised in just seven months and had left his Bogra home to go to war-torn Syria and join “the war against America and its allies”.
Rakibul Hasan alias Rigan, a supporter of pro-Jamaat-e-Islami student body Islami Chhatra Shibir, along with several other militants also received training on firearms, including on AK-22 rifles, when they were staying in militant dens in the capital over the course of a year.
Rigan, also known as Rafiul Islam Rafi and Ripon and Hasan, divulged the information to interrogators, according to officials of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
The 20-year-old “Neo JMB” operative was caught wounded during a police raid at Taj Manzeel, also known as Jahaj Building, in Kalyanpur on July 26.
On Sunday, Rigan gave his confessional statement before Metropolitan Magistrate Sadbir Yasir Ahsan Chowdhury.
During interrogation by the officials of the DMP unit, Rigan said one Robin gave them the firearms training and lessons in “motivational classes” at the dens.
Rigan wanted to go to Syria but Robin used to tell him that it would take some time. Robin also told him to do “something big” in Bangladesh to show off power before going to Syria, said one of the interrogators quoting Rigan's statement.
On Robin's instructions, the militants in Kalyanpur were preparing to conduct a massive attack in the country, said the interrogator, wishing not to be named.
Before being radicalised, Rigan, according to investigators, was introduced to several Shibir activists in Bogra in 2011.
He used to offer his prayers with the Shibir men in his village in Jamilnagar of Bogra.
About three to four months before his HSC exams in April, 2015, he met militant recruiter Sabbir on Facebook.
Rigan had passed SSC exams in 2013 securing GPA-5 and later starting attending coaching classes at Retina Coaching Centre in Bogra.
“But I read more than I wrote on Facebook, liked posts, and kept chatting with Sabbir,” said an official, quoting Rigan.
He said Sabbir convinced him to go to Syria to join “the war against America and its allies” to save the Muslims there. Sabbir also convinced two of his friends, Masud and Shihab, to do the same.
On July 23 last year, Rigan left home telling his mother and sister that he was going to his coaching centre.
But, he went to Shibganj Bus Stand with Masud and Shihab where Sabbir was waiting for them.
“Sabbir brought the three of us to Dhaka on a bus from Shibganj. It was evening. We were asked not to look around and we complied,” the official quoted him as saying.
During the group's one-year stay in the capital, they changed their locations at least five times, investigators claimed.
While staying in the dens, Rigan was introduced to Robin, Imran, Sohan, Iqbal, Obhi, Tapas, Abir and Nayeem.
He also told interrogators that two to three people unknown to him frequented the dens.
Interrogators suspect that those people could be key militant leaders.
Two weeks prior to the police raid, the militants moved to the fourth floor of the six-storey building in Kalyanpur, investigators claimed.
Rigan told investigators that 11 militants were in the apartment during the raid. Of them, Iqbal fled firing his AK-22 while Rigan was injured and captured.
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