Militants plotted to destabilise country

Four suspected militants, arrested in the capital's Jatrabari on January 18, had been involved in a conspiracy to topple the democratic government through subversive activities and establish a Khilafat state.

And for this, they had drawn inspiration from banned local outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and global terror body Islamic State (IS), read the charges pressed against them.  

In the charge sheet of the case, investigation officer AKM Kamrul Ahsan of Detective Branch said the charges against the four -- Sakhawatul Kabir, Nazrul Islam, Anwar Hossain alias Baten and Rabiul Islam -- were primarily proved.

All the arrestees were actually involved with JMB and Kabir was a regional coordinator of the militant group. He received militant training in Pakistan and on return took over as coordinator of IS' Bangladesh chapter, the DB official mentioned in the charges.

However, after the recent killing of two foreigners in attacks reportedly claimed by IS, the government ruled out any organisational presence of the global jihadi outfit in Bangladesh.  

According to the charge sheet, Kabir is an IS representative in Bangladesh, Nazrul a militant financier and Anwar a convict in an explosive case.   

It also mentioned that the suspects were planning to destabilise the country's law and order and kill some important persons.

The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the charge sheet, submitted to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka on May 25.

Hearing on the charge framing against the accused will start on Thursday at the Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court, Dhaka.

Since September last year, about 15 suspects have been arrested for “having or trying to establish contacts” with IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL, according to police press releases and briefings at different times.

Yesterday, a Dhaka court placed two other arrested suspects -- Abdullah al Galib and Fida Muntasir Saker -- on a two-day remand each in cases filed for their alleged involvement in planning to collect members for IS and go to Syria.  

Galib, Fida and their associates were recruiting fighters and collecting funds to wage jihad in Bangladesh, according to the case statements. They were also conspiring to “destabilise law and order and kill some important figures”.  

Galib, 27, son of an ex-army official, also launched a new militant organisation called “Jund At-Tawheed Wal Khilafah”. He was arrested from his Baridhara residence on May 30 this year and Fida form his DOHS house on June 7.

The cases were filed with Cantonment Police Station.

Metropolitan Magistrate Meher Nigar Suchana passed the order after DB Inspector Rafiqul Islam, investigation officer of the cases, sought a seven-day remand for each of the accused.

In the remand prayer, the IO said Galib and Fida need to be remanded to trace some IS-linked suspects whose names the two arrestees had disclosed earlier.

On the other hand, defence lawyer submitted two separate petitions seeking bail along with cancellation of the remand prayer, saying the clients were earlier remanded thrice since their arrest.       

The court rejected the defence pleas.