Another mastermind of café attack named

Police have identified a “top-level militant organiser” who they claim was in charge of the Gulshan café attack and also a coordinator of the bloody siege.

The Gulshan attackers sent pictures and updates to this man, who is known as Marzan by his handlers and fellow militants, police claimed.

Marzan later sent those pictures to Tamim Chowdhury, a suspected mastermind of the café attack.

Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit chief Monirul Islam said this while briefing reporters yesterday on the arrest of five suspected members of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh in Mirpur.

The five JMB members were nabbed from near the Technical intersection in Mirpur around 9:00pm on Thursday with explosives and detonators.

They are Atiqur Rahman alias Atiq, Abdul Karim Bulbul alias Dr Bulbul, Abul Kalam Azad, Motiur Rahman and Shaheenur Rahman Himel alias Tareq. They all left their homes several months ago, Monirul told newsmen at the DMP media centre.

Law enforcers believe the five came to the capital to carry out suicide attacks.

During primary interrogation, they admitted that they were sent to Dhaka from different northern districts to fill in the gap created following the killings of their nine associates during a raid at a Kalyanpur den, police said.

Police seized 875 grammes of explosive gel and 25 detonators from their possession. The gel was to be used as raw materials for grenades. After receiving training, they planned to make grenades and carry out major subversive activities, said Monirul, also additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

“We think they were brought to Dhaka to be trained to conduct suicide attacks,” he said.

“Atiq is trained in making bombs while the rest are foot soldiers.”

“High-level organisers of militants usually do not conduct suicide attacks,” the DMP official added.

Officials of the counter-terrorism unit said several other militants, including Nannu, Sajib, Imran and Jinsi -- all organisational names -- managed to flee as the five were being arrested.

Monirul said more than four associates of the five arrestees came to Dhaka and police were trying to arrest them.

During primary interrogation, the arrestees gave some important information that will help the investigation of the cases filed in connection with the Gulshan café attack and Kalyanpur raid and police hope to glean more information after interrogating them in remand.

Later in the day, a Dhaka court placed the five arrestees on six-day remand each after police pleaded to the court to grant them 10-day remand each.

Monirul said police suspect that two alleged masterminds of the attack -- Tamim Chowdhury and sacked army Major Syed Mohamad Ziaul Haq -- are now in Dhaka.

'MARZAN, IN-CHARGE OF GULSHAN ATTACK'

Marzan played the role of “overall in-charge” of the Gulshan café attack on July 1 in which 20 hostages and two policemen were killed.

After the attack, important documents and devices containing evidence were found in 10 houses during block raids in the capital, Monirul said.

Analysing the data found on the devices and using techniques of investigation and experience over the last one year, police are sure that there is another mastermind of the Gulshan attack whose organisational name is Marzan.

The additional commissioner added that Marzan was contacting the attackers from somewhere in Kalyanpur area and he is still likely to be in Dhaka.

“We are sure that the five Gulshan attackers went there from an apartment in Bashundhara area. They were divided in two groups and came walking,” he said.

Tamim accompanied the attackers to a certain point to give them inspiration. But from there, “another top-level organiser, a mastermind, maintained communication with them during the attack,” he added.

Monirul said the attackers were sending pictures and situation reports to Marzan who later sent those to Tamim and others.

The pictures were published from IS's propaganda outlets.

“The attackers sent the pictures to an ID that he [Marzan] opened and sent those to others,” the DMP official said.

The five attackers communicated with Marzan only, he said.

“We have been trying to collect information on this person but didn't get any details. We have found a picture and his name only,” Monirul said.

After talking to militants arrested at different times, it seemed to investigators that Marzan was educated and from a well-off family, he informed.

Investigators also showed Marzan's picture to the militants who were caught on different occasions and all of them identified him as Marzan.

The attackers used mobile phones of several hostages, including a Sri Lankan citizen, to communicate with Marzan.

JMB ACTIVIST ARRESTED

Police in Chuadanga yesterday arrested a Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) activist who is an accused in a bomb blast case filed in Meherpur following the August 17 countrywide series bomb blasts.

The arrestee was identified as Sumon Hossain, 27, of Railbazar area in Chuadanga town, reports our Kushtia correspondent.

Tozammel Hossain, officer-in-charge of Chuadanga Sadar Police Station, said Sumon had coordinated blasts in Meherpur on August 17, 2005.