The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of the police in a sting operation arrested a militant from South Khulshi area under Khulshi police station in Chattgram city on Friday night.
The militant was identified as Sakhawat Ali Lalu (40). He is a resident of the end of the alley on the north side of the Dampara SH petrol pump and is the son of Sheikh Md. Shamser Ali. City CTTC Sub-Inspector (SI) Rashib Khan said he was arrested in front of the Central Ahl-e-Hadith Jame Mosque in Chattogram.
According to CTTC sources, Sakhawat Ali became involved in the militant activities of the banned organization Ansar Al Islam in 2012 through his cousin Md. Arif Mamun.
Dismissed Major Zia, Shafiq Huzur of Mansurabad area, Omar Faruq, an employee of AC shop in Lalkhan Bazar area conducted organizational activities with the aim of organizing Ansar Al Islam members in different parts of the country.
Sakhawat went to Turkey from Bangladesh in 2017 to participate in jihad. After crossing the border illegally from Turkey and entering Syria, he received heavy weapons training from Hayat Tahrir Arsham for 6 months and took part in the fighting in Idlib area.
He later crossed the Syrian border and entered Indonesia via Turkey. He then moved from Indonesia to Sri Lanka and again to Indonesia. While in Indonesia, he conducted jihadist activities. He last returned to the country on March 22.
SI Rashib Khan said Ansar al-Islam's IT specialist Sakhawat was arrested after a raid on his arrival in Chittagong from Syria.
Various jihadi documents, 1 passport, 1 mobile phone, 1 tab, 1 mini notebook were seized from him. A case has been filed against him with Khulshi police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
