Three militants, including a woman, were found dead by Bangladesh security forces today when they stormed their hideout, ending a two-day standoff with Islamist militants in a northeastern city amid a massive nationwide clampdown on militants.

Announcing the end of the &quot;Operation Maximums&quot; at the Islamist militants&#39;&nbsp;hideout in Moulvibazar town&#39;s Borohat area, counter-terrorism Unit chief Monirul Islam told media that bodies of two men and a woman were found inside the duplex house.

&quot;We found three bodies including that of a woman as we entered the den today,&quot; Islam said, adding the militants had set up explosives at different spots in the building.

&quot;Our intention was to capture them alive and therefore we repeatedly called them to surrender but they defied...Attacked us back throwing grenades and blasting bombs whenever our SWAT members tried to approach them,&quot; he said.

Police&#39;s elite Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) yesterday launched the second subsequent raid at the hideout in Moulvibazar town, a day after wrapping up their &quot;Operation Hit Back&quot; at another den nearby when a family of eight, including children, blew themselves up in a suicide blast amidst the security siege.

Security forces in the past 10 days have witnessed four major anti-militancy assaults against Islamic-State inclined Neo-Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) in which seven people including an army lieutenant colonel and two police inspectors lost their lives while the assaults killed 15 militants and their children.

Neo-JMB was behind the July 1 terror attack on a Dhaka cafe that killed 22 people, including 17 foreigners.

The first security assault was launched in northeastern Sylhet where authorities called out army commandos. Four Islamists including Neo-JMB chief Musa were killed during the five-day security siege which military called &#39;Operation Twilight&#39;.

As the siege was underway, fellow militants from outside launched two retaliatory clandestine attacks killing six people including two policemen and wounding 50 others near the scene.

An army officer who was serving a the intelligence wing chief of elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) succumbed to his wounds two days ago.

A day after the end of the Operation Twilight led by an army major general in Sylhet, police simultaneously raided three other neo-JMB hideouts, two in neighbouring Moulvibazar and one in central Comilla district.

Police&#39;s Operation Hit Back saw two militant couples blowing themselves up along with four minor children, staging a suicide blast at a den on the outskirts of Moulvibazar town.

Islam at that time said the suicide blast was so severe that it tore into pieces the dead, making it difficult to ascertain exactly how many people were inside and only &quot;the forensic examinations could confirm the exact casualty figure (though) we assume they are seven or eight in number.&quot;

In Comilla, after three days of security siege, police found it to be a big cache of explosives stored by the militants but none was found there to be encountered.

Bangladesh has been witnessing a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013. The country launched a massive crackdown on militants especially after the Dhaka cafe attack.

IS has claimed several attacks in Bangladesh, but the government rejects the presence of foreign terrorist groups in the moderate Muslim-majority country, blaming home-grown groups such as the neo-JMB for terrorist attacks.

(PTI)

Counter-terrorism Unit chief Monirul Islam announced the end of the 'Operation Maximums' at the Islamist militants' hideout

Three militants, including a woman, were found dead by Bangladesh security forces today when they stormed their hideout, ending a two-day standoff with Islamist militants in a northeastern city amid a massive nationwide clampdown on militants. Announcing the end of the "Operation Maximums" at the Islamist militants' hideout in Moulvibazar town's Borohat area, counter-terrorism Unit chief Monirul Islam told media that bodies of two men and a woman were found inside the duplex house. "We found three bodies including that of a woman as we entered the den today," Islam said, adding the militants had set up explosives at different spots in the building. "Our intention was to capture them alive and therefore we repeatedly called them to surrender but they defied...Attacked us back throwing grenades and blasting bombs whenever our SWAT members tried to approach them," he said. Police's elite Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) yesterday launched the second subsequent raid at the hideout in Moulvibazar town, a day after wrapping up their "Operation Hit Back" at another den nearby when a family of eight, including children, blew themselves up in a suicide blast amidst the security siege. Security forces in the past 10 days have witnessed four major anti-militancy assaults against Islamic-State inclined Neo-Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) in which seven people including an army lieutenant colonel and two police inspectors lost their lives while the assaults killed 15 militants and their children. Neo-JMB was behind the July 1 terror attack on a Dhaka cafe that killed 22 people, including 17 foreigners. The first security assault was launched in northeastern Sylhet where authorities called out army commandos. Four Islamists including Neo-JMB chief Musa were killed during the five-day security siege which military called 'Operation Twilight'. As the siege was underway, fellow militants from outside launched two retaliatory clandestine attacks killing six people including two policemen and wounding 50 others near the scene. An army officer who was serving a the intelligence wing chief of elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) succumbed to his wounds two days ago. A day after the end of the Operation Twilight led by an army major general in Sylhet, police simultaneously raided three other neo-JMB hideouts, two in neighbouring Moulvibazar and one in central Comilla district. Police's Operation Hit Back saw two militant couples blowing themselves up along with four minor children, staging a suicide blast at a den on the outskirts of Moulvibazar town. Islam at that time said the suicide blast was so severe that it tore into pieces the dead, making it difficult to ascertain exactly how many people were inside and only "the forensic examinations could confirm the exact casualty figure (though) we assume they are seven or eight in number." In Comilla, after three days of security siege, police found it to be a big cache of explosives stored by the militants but none was found there to be encountered. Bangladesh has been witnessing a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013. The country launched a massive crackdown on militants especially after the Dhaka cafe attack. IS has claimed several attacks in Bangladesh, but the government rejects the presence of foreign terrorist groups in the moderate Muslim-majority country, blaming home-grown groups such as the neo-JMB for terrorist attacks. (PTI)

Bangladesh security forces storm terror den; 3 militants dead

Bangladesh&#39;s Supreme Court rejected a final appeal on Sunday by a leading militant and two others against death sentences imposed over a grenade attack on the British ambassador in 2004, lawyers said, meaning they could be hanged at any time.

Three militants, including Mufti Abdul Hannan, the head of the Harkat-ul Jihad Islami group, were convicted and sentenced to death in 2008. Three people were killed in the May 21, 2004, attack and about 50 wounded, including then British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury, who was hit in the leg.

A panel of three judges headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha rejected the petition that sought a review of the death sentences, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said.

&quot;Now there is no legal bar to hang them, unless they seek clemency from the president and the president pardons them,&quot; Alam told reporters.

Defence lawyer Nikhil Kumar Saha said: &quot;It is up to them whether they will seek clemency from the president or not.&quot;

The Supreme court upheld their death sentences last year.

&nbsp;

Recent context

Harkat-ul Jihad Islami was blamed for several other attacks, including a bomb blast later in 2004 at a rally by then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina, who later became prime minister. That attack killed 23 people and wounded more than 150. Hasina suffered partial hearing loss.

Hannan was also sentenced to death for a bomb attack on a Bengali New Year&#39;s celebration in 2001 that killed 10 people dead and wounded scores.

Sunday&#39;s ruling came amid rising concern over the growth of Islamist militancy in the Muslim-majority South Asian country of 160 million people.

There has seen a series of deadly attacks in recent years, the most serious last July when gunmen stormed a Dhaka cafe and killed 22 people, most of them foreigners.

Police have killed more than 50 militants since the cafe attack.

(Reuters)

Three militants including a Harkat-ul Jihad Islami group leader can be hanged for their grenade attack, which killed 3 and injured about 50

Bangladesh's Supreme Court rejected a final appeal on Sunday by a leading militant and two others against death sentences imposed over a grenade attack on the British ambassador in 2004, lawyers said, meaning they could be hanged at any time. Three militants, including Mufti Abdul Hannan, the head of the Harkat-ul Jihad Islami group, were convicted and sentenced to death in 2008. Three people were killed in the May 21, 2004, attack and about 50 wounded, including then British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury, who was hit in the leg. A panel of three judges headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha rejected the petition that sought a review of the death sentences, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said. "Now there is no legal bar to hang them, unless they seek clemency from the president and the president pardons them," Alam told reporters. Defence lawyer Nikhil Kumar Saha said: "It is up to them whether they will seek clemency from the president or not." The Supreme court upheld their death sentences last year. Recent context Harkat-ul Jihad Islami was blamed for several other attacks, including a bomb blast later in 2004 at a rally by then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina, who later became prime minister. That attack killed 23 people and wounded more than 150. Hasina suffered partial hearing loss. Hannan was also sentenced to death for a bomb attack on a Bengali New Year's celebration in 2001 that killed 10 people dead and wounded scores. Sunday's ruling came amid rising concern over the growth of Islamist militancy in the Muslim-majority South Asian country of 160 million people. There has seen a series of deadly attacks in recent years, the most serious last July when gunmen stormed a Dhaka cafe and killed 22 people, most of them foreigners. Police have killed more than 50 militants since the cafe attack. (Reuters)

Bangladesh court upholds death sentences over 2004 attack on British envoy

Five suspected militants were killed Thursday as Bangladesh police conducted a series of raids on what they said were extremist hideouts following a series of deadly Islamist attacks in the country.

Police stormed a building in the southern port city of Chittagong overnight, sparking a 15-hour stand-off with militants armed with guns and grenades with around 20 civilians trapped inside.

Four members of the homegrown extremist group Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) including one woman died in that operation, police said. At least two were killed by a suicide explosion that they set off.

&quot;They came out in the stairs and carried out a big explosion. Parts of their bodies were spread to 25-30 yards (metres),&quot; said&nbsp;Sanwar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of the police counter-terrorism unit.

A fifth man died in a separate raid in an eastern border town. Police identified him as a member of the banned Jihadist group Harkat-ul Jihad al Islam, which was blamed for a series of deadly blasts more than a decade ago.

Bangladeshi security forces launched a nationwide crackdown following a deadly siege at a cafe in Dhaka last year, arresting scores of suspected extremists and killing the leaders of homegrown militant cells.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, in which 22 people including 18 foreign hostages were killed in July.

The Bangladeshi government however has said a new faction of the JMB was behind that and other attacks on foreigners and religious minorities in the country.

IS &#39;expanding to Asia&#39;&nbsp;

Police have this month carried out a series of raids in the Chittagong region after detaining two militants with grenades this month on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.

Additional superintendent of police Mosiuddowla Reza told AFP elite counter-terrorism police reinforcements were sent to the area from the capital after midnight to storm the compound where the four died.

He said the suspects threw grenades and opened fire on police, injuring two.

Twenty people were trapped inside the building overnight after police cordoned it off, but all have now left safely.

Police also raided a second suspected hideout in the area where they arrested a husband and wife who they said were JMB members.

&quot;One tried to blow herself up before she was taken into custody,&quot; Reza told AFP.

&quot;We arrested them as the wife was holding her three-month-old child in one hand and tried to explode the suicide vest with the other,&quot; he said.

&quot;Our bomb disposal unit later defused the vest.&quot;

Japanese and Italian diners were among the 18 foreigners shot and hacked to death in last year&#39;s attack on the Holey Bakery, a cafe popular with foreigners.

The siege badly undermined Bangladesh&#39;s reputation as a relatively moderate Muslim nation and raised fears for the garment industry, one of the country&#39;s biggest sources of foreign investment.

Last August John Kerry, then US Secretary of State, said there was evidence to link the extremists behind the recent spate of deadly attacks in Bangladesh to IS.

Critics accuse Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&#39;s secular government of using that and other attacks on foreigners and religious minorities to demonise her domestic opponents.

Terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna said the government should admit that IS has a presence in the country.&nbsp;

&quot;With IS expanding to Asia, sooner or later the government will have to reveal the truth,&quot; said Gunaratna, head of the Singapore-based International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, in comments emailed to AFP.

(AFP)

Four members of the homegrown extremist group Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) including one woman died in that operation, police said

Five suspected militants were killed Thursday as Bangladesh police conducted a series of raids on what they said were extremist hideouts following a series of deadly Islamist attacks in the country. Police stormed a building in the southern port city of Chittagong overnight, sparking a 15-hour stand-off with militants armed with guns and grenades with around 20 civilians trapped inside. Four members of the homegrown extremist group Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) including one woman died in that operation, police said. At least two were killed by a suicide explosion that they set off. "They came out in the stairs and carried out a big explosion. Parts of their bodies were spread to 25-30 yards (metres)," said Sanwar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of the police counter-terrorism unit. A fifth man died in a separate raid in an eastern border town. Police identified him as a member of the banned Jihadist group Harkat-ul Jihad al Islam, which was blamed for a series of deadly blasts more than a decade ago. Bangladeshi security forces launched a nationwide crackdown following a deadly siege at a cafe in Dhaka last year, arresting scores of suspected extremists and killing the leaders of homegrown militant cells. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, in which 22 people including 18 foreign hostages were killed in July. The Bangladeshi government however has said a new faction of the JMB was behind that and other attacks on foreigners and religious minorities in the country. IS 'expanding to Asia' Police have this month carried out a series of raids in the Chittagong region after detaining two militants with grenades this month on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. Additional superintendent of police Mosiuddowla Reza told AFP elite counter-terrorism police reinforcements were sent to the area from the capital after midnight to storm the compound where the four died. He said the suspects threw grenades and opened fire on police, injuring two. Twenty people were trapped inside the building overnight after police cordoned it off, but all have now left safely. Police also raided a second suspected hideout in the area where they arrested a husband and wife who they said were JMB members. "One tried to blow herself up before she was taken into custody," Reza told AFP. "We arrested them as the wife was holding her three-month-old child in one hand and tried to explode the suicide vest with the other," he said. "Our bomb disposal unit later defused the vest." Japanese and Italian diners were among the 18 foreigners shot and hacked to death in last year's attack on the Holey Bakery, a cafe popular with foreigners. The siege badly undermined Bangladesh's reputation as a relatively moderate Muslim nation and raised fears for the garment industry, one of the country's biggest sources of foreign investment. Last August John Kerry, then US Secretary of State, said there was evidence to link the extremists behind the recent spate of deadly attacks in Bangladesh to IS. Critics accuse Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's secular government of using that and other attacks on foreigners and religious minorities to demonise her domestic opponents. Terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna said the government should admit that IS has a presence in the country. "With IS expanding to Asia, sooner or later the government will have to reveal the truth," said Gunaratna, head of the Singapore-based International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, in comments emailed to AFP. (AFP)

Bangladesh: Five militants gunned down after 15-hour armed standoff

Bangladesh police have detained over 1,700, including some members of an outlawed militant outfit Jamayatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB),&nbsp;as part of a crackdown to halt the wave of brutal attacks on minorities and secular activists by Islamists, officials said today. 
 
A total of 1,740 people were detained after top police officials decided at a meeting on Thursday to launch an anti-militant drive. 
 
On the first day of the week-long drive, about 1,600 people were detained across the country yesterday. At least 140 people were detained today from different districts in the wake of recent killings, &#39;The Daily Star&#39; reported. 
 
Of the total 140 detainees, 88 are from Rajshahi district, 35 from Satkhira and 17 from Natore.Nine enlisted militants were among the 88 persons detained from Rajshahi, the report said. 
 
Eight of them belong to Jamayatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), while another belongs to Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), said Shariful Alam, assistant superintendent of police in Rajshahi. 
 
Bangladesh has seen a string of brutal attacks by Islamists on religious minorities and secular activists. 
 
A 60-year-old Hindu ashram worker was yesterday hacked to death by ISIS jihadists while he was out for a morning walk. This happened just days after another priest was killed by terrorists of the same outfit in the Muslim-majority nation. 
 
The latest attack came just hours after police said they launched a nationwide anti-militancy drive besides engaging the elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion and paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh. 
 
The security clampdown was launched a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised to intensify a nationwide anti-terror security clampdown. 
 
In February militants stabbed to death a Hindu priest at a temple and shot and wounded a devotee who went to his aid. 
 
In April, a liberal professor was brutally hacked to death in Rajshahi city. In the same month, a Hindu tailor was hacked to death in his shop and Bangladesh&#39;s first gay magazine editor was brutally murdered along with a friend in his flat in Dhaka by Islamists.

The week-long drive was launched to arrest the growing wave of attacks on religious minorities and secular activists by Islamic militants

Bangladesh police have detained over 1,700, including some members of an outlawed militant outfit Jamayatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), as part of a crackdown to halt the wave of brutal attacks on minorities and secular activists by Islamists, officials said today. A total of 1,740 people were detained after top police officials decided at a meeting on Thursday to launch an anti-militant drive. On the first day of the week-long drive, about 1,600 people were detained across the country yesterday. At least 140 people were detained today from different districts in the wake of recent killings, 'The Daily Star' reported. Of the total 140 detainees, 88 are from Rajshahi district, 35 from Satkhira and 17 from Natore.Nine enlisted militants were among the 88 persons detained from Rajshahi, the report said. Eight of them belong to Jamayatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), while another belongs to Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), said Shariful Alam, assistant superintendent of police in Rajshahi. Bangladesh has seen a string of brutal attacks by Islamists on religious minorities and secular activists. A 60-year-old Hindu ashram worker was yesterday hacked to death by ISIS jihadists while he was out for a morning walk. This happened just days after another priest was killed by terrorists of the same outfit in the Muslim-majority nation. The latest attack came just hours after police said they launched a nationwide anti-militancy drive besides engaging the elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion and paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh. The security clampdown was launched a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised to intensify a nationwide anti-terror security clampdown. In February militants stabbed to death a Hindu priest at a temple and shot and wounded a devotee who went to his aid. In April, a liberal professor was brutally hacked to death in Rajshahi city. In the same month, a Hindu tailor was hacked to death in his shop and Bangladesh's first gay magazine editor was brutally murdered along with a friend in his flat in Dhaka by Islamists.

Bangladesh cracks down on militants, detains over 1,700