Sources of attackers' weapons traced: IGP

Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque yesterday claimed to have traced the sources of weapons used in the militant attacks in Gulshan and Sholakia early this month.

The attackers used modern and sophisticated weapons. The law enforcers were trying to arrest those involved in the crime, he told reporters after attending a programme at Police Staff College in the city's Mirpur.

The IGP said they were yet to ascertain any “concrete” international links to the terrorist attacks.

The police chief stressed the need for support of common people in bringing the masterminds of the attacks to book.

In another development, law enforcers last night picked up a person from Comilla on suspicion of his involvement in the gruesome Gulshan café attack.

Meanwhile, the Rapid Action Battalion yesterday published an updated list of 68 “missing” people, aged between 15 and 40. Previously, the list showed names of 261 “missing” people.

Gunmen stormed Holey Artisan Bakery in the capital's Gulshan diplomatic zone on July 1 and killed 20 hostages, mostly foreign nationals. Two police officials were also killed during the 12-hour hostage standoff.

In Kishoreganj, four people, including a suspected attacker, were killed in a militant attack near the Sholakia Eid congregation ground on July 7, the Eid day.

The IGP yesterday said they were preparing a list of suspected “missing” militants.

“Currently we are verifying the list. We would disclose it to the media in due time,” he mentioned, adding the Police Headquarters sent instructions to the police stations across the country over the matter.

Shahidul reiterated the need for waging a social movement against militancy. He said law enforcers identified some kingpins of militant groups in the country.

Police kept educational institutions, especially private universities, under special watch as names of some of their students surfaced as suspected militants, he added.

Investigators earlier had said the Gulshan café attackers were armed with three AK-22 semi-automatic rifles, among other weapons.

Last year, Rab members recovered eight AK-22s from two alleged dens of militant outfit Shaheed Hamja Brigade at Banshkhali of Chittagong. In the capital's Sadarghat, police recovered two more of them, allegedly left behind by a group of JMB men after a mugging attempt on September 23.

RAB REVISES LIST

In a Facebook post yesterday, the Rab requested people to contact its nearby offices if they have information about any of the 68 “missing” people.

The elite crime-buster said it revised the previous list after some of the “missing” people returned home.

“Updating the list is a continuous process. If anyone among the missing people returns home or anyone missing is left out of the list, people should ring on 01777720075,” the post read.

'GULSHAN SUSPECT' HELD IN COMILLA

Shah Abid Hossain, superintendent of police of Comilla, said police picked up a man on suspicion of his involvement in the Gulshan restaurant attack.

“We've not formally got any information. We heard that a team of law enforcers from Dhaka has detained a person,” he told The Daily Star.

The police official, however, could not say from where and when the person was detained. He could neither give the identity of the detainee.

Mizanur Rahman, office-in-charge of Muradnagar Police Station, said a team of the Detective Branch of police from Dhaka detained a man named Mithu from Muradnagar.

“But we don't know the reason behind it,” he said.

Contacted, Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said he did not know anything about this.