Jasim says his students might have killed Rajib

Jasimuddin Rahmani

Jasimuddin Rahmani, alleged spiritual leader of emergent militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team, yesterday said students inspired by his sermons might have killed blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider in February.
In a confessional statement before a magistrate, he said being a teacher of Mohammadpur Jamia Rahmania Arabia Madrasa, he used to preach to students making references to Hadith.
Besides, he had delivered sermons on the killing of atheists and those, who demeaned Islam and the Prophet, at Bosila Madrasa Markajul Uloom Al-Islamia as its Khatib. University, college and school students used to attend those sessions since its founding in 2010.
Jasimuddin later realised that saying such things aloud in public was not right because there is law and court in the country. And if anyone, provoked by his speeches, does anything wrong, he will be tried under the law of the land, Jasimuddin said.
Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzzaman Nur recorded the statement for three hours from 3:00pm after the Detective Branch of police brought Jasimuddin to his chamber.
He said he did not know who killed blogger Rajib on February 15 in the capital's Pallabi. He had never spoken to them.
The killers might have been inspired by his sermons, said Jasimuddin,   who studied in India and Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, five students arrested in Rajib's murder case said in their confessional statements that they had been influenced by Jasimuddin's speeches.
Jasimuddin also admitted writing books on Jihad and distributing them among madrasa students.
He was arrested on August 11 in Barguna for his alleged involvement in militant activities. He was then brought to Dhaka and placed on a six-day remand on August 27.
After his confessional statement yesterday, he was sent to the Dhaka Central Jail.