Some members of banned Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh are joining in another banned terrorist outfit Ansar al Islam. And to execute their deadly plan of conducting lone-wolf attacks, they are being scattered at different places of the country including the capital.
Law enforcers came to learn this after arresting six militants in an overnight drive. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in an overnight drive arrested six militants from different parts of the country.
Getting secret information, a RAB-4 team raided in the capital and Sathkhira and arrested the six terrorists who confessed of their plan of conducting lone-wolf attacks. Talking to the Bangladesh Post, RAB-4 Director Md Mozammel Haque confirmed it on Saturday.
The arrestees are identified as Md Shafiqul Islam alias Sagar alias Salman Muktadir, 21, Md Elias Hawlader alias Khattab, 32, Md Eqramul Islam alias Amir Hamza, Amir Hossain, 26, Md Shipon Mir, 33 and Md Waliullah alias Abdur Rahman, 25.
During the primary interrogation they admitted that they were active members of banned militant outfit Ansar-ul Islam. RAB also seized huge amount of Jhihadist publications, extremist digital contents and electronic devices from their possessions.
Arrested militant Salman Moktadir is a fifth year student of diploma engineering. He got engaged in militancy through another arrested militant Elias. Elias recruited him through online. He joined in Ansar al Islam two years ago. At one stage, he got in touch with senior militant leaders.
Elias was conducting militant activities using his organizational name Khattab. He is by profession a driver. He was involved in another banned terror outfit HUJI-B when he was a student. After the government had banned HUJI-B, he became inactive. But he was desperate to join in any militant organization. At one stage, he was invited to join Ansar ul Islam. He joined in the militant body three years ago, Elias confessed to RAB.
Ekraum, a generator operator of a mobile company’s tower, also joined the militant group three years ago. He was one of the financer of the militant outfit. He was also holding meeting for the militant leaders.
Amir completed his Islamic education from a local Madrasa. He was inspired by the radical lecture of Ansarullah Bangla Team’s founder Maolana Jasim Uddin Madani. After his arrest, he attempted to join in another militant group through online.
At one stage, he met with Elias. Elias always talked about radicalism. Then he radicalized Amir. He was conducting six radical Facebook pages. He was appointed as the head of Ansar al Islam’s Sathkhira district.
Shipon was also radicalized by Elias. Though he is a professional driver, he was working for the terrorist organization. He was keeping regular communication with senior militant leaders through online.
Waliullah is a Madrasa teacher. He was radicalized by a militant named Abdullah. He joined in militant organization four years ago. He was working as the top leader of Ansar ul Islam’s Dhaka South City.
RAB-4 boss said, “The arrestees were planning to conduct lone-wolf attacks.” They mainly use sharp weapons instead of fire arms, said Mozamel, also an Additional Deputy Inspector General of Bangladesh Police.