Govt may seek help of Interpol

The government is likely to seek help of Interpol to probe the country's biggest ever arms haul in Chittagong on April 2 as the local police could not yet make any headway in this regard, intelligence sources said.

A top intelligence official said that help of Interpol might be needed to investigate the gunrunning case in the international fields to unearth the clues of origin of the deadly consignment of weapons and its destination, link of suppliers and other related syndicates.

"We should engage Interpol to trace out the international link as the local smugglers involved with the arms haul could not be arrested yet," he added.

Meanwhile, officials of foreign diplomatic missions in Dhaka are reportedly keeping a watch on the developments on the arms haul as it became a matter of concern for them, sources said.

Officials of some diplomatic missions, in the meantime, visited the port city apparently in a bid to enquire into the matter, police and intelligence sources said.

Two US embassy officials visited the port city after the arms haul and met the commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP).

They were very much inquisitive about the seizure of deadly weapons, police sources said.

Two Australian officials also arrived here and enquired about the arms haul, sources added.

Indian High Commission officials were reportedly found very active in Chittagong to unearth clues since the haul of the weapons, sources said.

Indian High Commissioner Veena Sikri also visited this port city last week and called on Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, trade body leaders and other dignitaries.

Sources say Indian mission has been seriously monitoring the developments on the arms haul case as rumour spread that the deadly consignment of weapons was a transit cargo meant for insurgent groups including United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) operating in the border areas.

However, The high powered probe body led by Home Secretary Omar Farook is expected to arrive in Chittagong shortly for further investigation, sources said.

Earlier, the probe body stayed here for three days and quizzed over 30 people.

Local CID police are investigating the arms haul case as Karnaphuli thana Officer-in-Charge Ahadur Rahman was dropped as investigation officer (IO) for his controversial role.

CID police began a manhunt to nab Hafizur Rahman, Din Mohammad, Abul Kasem Madu, Haji Sobhan and Barmaiya Jahur. They were allegedly involved with the offloading of weapons at the jetty of Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Ltd (CUFL) before the seizure.

Ten truckloads of weapons including Ak-47, rockets and rocket launchers and hand grenades were seized from CUFL jetty.