A Dhaka Court on Monday ordered to send alleged terrorist Saif Rahman to jail after ending his two day remand.
Talking to the Bangladesh Post, an Assistant Commissioner of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) confirmed it on Monday afternoon.
Though during the interrogation in police custody the suspected IS-linked top brass militant claimed that he had contacted with the Syria-based terrorist organization to assist French government, investigators found the claim totally false.
The CTTC official told this correspondent that it is not true that France government agency will tell a militant to communicate with global terrorists.
After arrest, most of the militants make several false claims to save them from punishment, he added.
Responding to another question, the counter terrorism official said, “We are primarily thinking that arrested Saif was basically radicalized after he left the country. But it does not mean that he surely was radicalized by any foreign militant leaders. In any secret online group of the militants, there are both local and international militants. ”
He however hinted that now the terrorist networks conduct recruiting through online. In some cases it is found that many militant were self-radicalized through online extremist materials.
“We have send his electronic devices for forensic test to know the details how he was actually radicalized and how many years he was in touch with the global militant group”, the AC further said.
After getting the forensic reports of his device details will be known about his link with local and international militant organization, he added.
Responding to another question, the CTTC officer said, “Saif was using several secret apps to communicate with terrorist outfits. He also opened an account in Facebook. After forensic reports, we shall get his details chat history and other communications”
“We are still working on him”, he said refusing to disclose which apps Saif had been using for militancy.
According to him, born in 1997 in Bangladesh, Saif completed his O-levels in 2014 from European Standard School in Dhaka. He later completed A-levels from Oxford International School. Then on February 7, 2015 he went to France at the age of 18.
In 2016, Saif graduated from the University of Cergy-Pontoise in France.
Earlier The French government permanently expelled Saif from the country, considering it a risk to the country.
CTTC deputy commissioner Saiful Islam told that they had received information from Saif's his mobile phone and laptop about his contact with the Syrian-based militant group .
According to the CTTC sources, the French authorities had earlier informed Bangladesh about the expulsion of Saif Rahaman. A team of the French police brought him to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport recently.
Police detained him from there under section 54. Police took Saif Rahman to the court and appealed for his remand. Besides, they also appealed to the Institute of Modern Language of Dhaka University to translate the document on Saif written in French from the French government.
According to the translated report, the foreign ministry of France mentioned that Saif had wanted to visit the area controlled by the banned militant outfit Islamic State. The report also states that Saif had a tendency to engage in militant activities. Terrorist groups often encourage the ‘emerging jihadists’ who have not been able to reach Iraq and Syria. In different countries, they are causing violence, especially through IS. The recurrences of terrorist attacks in France have recently increased a lot.
The translated report from the French ministry of interior further states, a terrorist attack was carried out in front of the then office of Charlie Hebdo in Paris. There were attacks in Conflans St Honorine on 16 October and in Leech on 29 October. The report states Saif Rahman can also cause violence on French soil.
French interior ministry further states that Saif al-Rahman's presence in the country poses a major threat to the state's law and order in the face of the current threat of a terrorist attack. Therefore, it is necessary to order his expulsion from this country at any time considering the risk of any further major violent incident.
According to the report, Saif used to live in Bangladesh until he was 18. He came to France recently. He is unmarried. Although his parents live in France, they can visit Bangladesh to see their son. His expulsion order will not extensively undermine the natural, personal and family life related rights. After getting the translated version of the report, the police filed a case against Saif under the anti-terrorism act.
Saiful Islam, inspector of the counter terrorism investigation unit of CTTC, alleged in the case statement that despite being a citizen of Bangladesh Saif Rahman tried to join the international terrorist group IS from abroad.
He tarnished the image of the country by planning terrorist attacks. His intention was to disrupt the security of France. He has tried to damage the country's property and has carried out propaganda offences punishable under anti-terrorism laws.
However, Jinat Rahman, Saif Rahman's mother, has claimed that her son is a victim of the situation.
However, police say there is evidence that in the past, extremists from abroad have tried to communicate with local extremist organisations.
