In a major breakthrough, Kolkata Police’s Special Task Force (STF) nabbed top Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (Bangladesh) commander in India - Abdul Karim alias Boro Abdul Karim.&nbsp;

Karim considered second topmost leader in JMB in India after the organisation’s chief - Salauddin Salehin, was arrested by officials of STF along with local police from Murshidabad district of West Bengal.&nbsp;

“One Abdul Karim alias Boro Karim wanted in a W/A issued in c/w STF PS case no. 8/2017 dated 29.11.2017 has been arrested this morning from Suti PS area, Jangipur District Police with the assistance of local police.&nbsp; 
He will be produced before Ld Court today and we will seek PC,” said a senior police official from STF.&nbsp;

Karim, an Indian by nationality, was the main leader of the Dhulian module, involved in the Bodh Gaya Blast. While he actively provided logistics support and shelter to top leaders like Salauddin, sources in the agency reveal he was also part of the recruitment drives for JMB.&nbsp;

In a surprise raid launched back in 2018 by Kolkata Police, he escaped and could not be nabbed. However, police managed to seize a huge cache of explosives and jehadi documents from his hideout. Since then, police had been on a lookout for him.

In a major breakthrough, Kolkata Police’s Special Task Force (STF) nabbed top Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (Bangladesh) commander in India - Abdul Karim alias Boro Abdul Karim.

In a major breakthrough, Kolkata Police’s Special Task Force (STF) nabbed top Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (Bangladesh) commander in India - Abdul Karim alias Boro Abdul Karim. Karim considered second topmost leader in JMB in India after the organisation’s chief - Salauddin Salehin, was arrested by officials of STF along with local police from Murshidabad district of West Bengal. “One Abdul Karim alias Boro Karim wanted in a W/A issued in c/w STF PS case no. 8/2017 dated 29.11.2017 has been arrested this morning from Suti PS area, Jangipur District Police with the assistance of local police. He will be produced before Ld Court today and we will seek PC,” said a senior police official from STF. Karim, an Indian by nationality, was the main leader of the Dhulian module, involved in the Bodh Gaya Blast. While he actively provided logistics support and shelter to top leaders like Salauddin, sources in the agency reveal he was also part of the recruitment drives for JMB. In a surprise raid launched back in 2018 by Kolkata Police, he escaped and could not be nabbed. However, police managed to seize a huge cache of explosives and jehadi documents from his hideout. Since then, police had been on a lookout for him.

Kolkata Police STF arrests wanted Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh terrorist Abdul Karim

The Tamil Nadu Police arrested a Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist from Thoraipakkam area of Chennai in the early hours on Tuesday.

According to the police, the accused, identified as Asadullah Sk, was arrested from his rented accommodation in Chennai.

He hails from Burdwan city of West Bengal.

A case has been registered against him under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including waging war and sedition, said the police.

Asadullah will be produced before the court tomorrow, where his transit remand will be sought.

The Tamil Nadu Police arrested a Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist from Thoraipakkam area of Chennai in the early hours on Tuesday. According to the police, the accused, identified as Asadullah Sk, was arrested from his rented accommodation in Chennai.

The Tamil Nadu Police arrested a Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist from Thoraipakkam area of Chennai in the early hours on Tuesday. According to the police, the accused, identified as Asadullah Sk, was arrested from his rented accommodation in Chennai. He hails from Burdwan city of West Bengal. A case has been registered against him under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including waging war and sedition, said the police. Asadullah will be produced before the court tomorrow, where his transit remand will be sought.

Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh terrorist arrested in Chennai

The Central Intelligence Bureau (IB) has issued an alert, warning of a fidayeen attack by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) or Islamic State (IS) on the occasion of Buddha Purnima at West Bengal or Bangladesh, according to the sources in Intelligence Bureau.

The alert adds that the fidayeen, who could be impersonating as a pregnant lady may enter Hindu or Buddhist temples to launch attacks in India's West Bengal and Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, an alert was received by the West Bengal government on Friday afternoon from the Central government asking to take all the necessary precautionary measures.

Reacting to the alert, the West Bengal Police has beefed up security across the Hindu and Buddhist temples in the state.

"We have received an alert. We have strengthened the security outside the temples in the city as well as other parts of the state. We are taking no chances," said a senior official of the West Bengal Police.

Two weeks back, pro-IS telegram channels in Bangla had released a message, threatening of an attack in West Bengal and Bangladesh.

"A similar alert was ignored by Sri Lanka authorities and we saw the number of casualties. We have immediately responded to this input and alerted all our branches to maintain the highest level of alertness and preparedness to prevent any such attacks," added the official of West Bengal Police.

The Central Intelligence Bureau (IB) has issued an alert, warning of a fidayeen attack by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) or Islamic State (IS) on the occasion of Buddha Purnima at West Bengal or Bangladesh, according to the sources in Intelligence Bureau.

The Central Intelligence Bureau (IB) has issued an alert, warning of a fidayeen attack by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) or Islamic State (IS) on the occasion of Buddha Purnima at West Bengal or Bangladesh, according to the sources in Intelligence Bureau. The alert adds that the fidayeen, who could be impersonating as a pregnant lady may enter Hindu or Buddhist temples to launch attacks in India's West Bengal and Bangladesh. Meanwhile, an alert was received by the West Bengal government on Friday afternoon from the Central government asking to take all the necessary precautionary measures. Reacting to the alert, the West Bengal Police has beefed up security across the Hindu and Buddhist temples in the state. "We have received an alert. We have strengthened the security outside the temples in the city as well as other parts of the state. We are taking no chances," said a senior official of the West Bengal Police. Two weeks back, pro-IS telegram channels in Bangla had released a message, threatening of an attack in West Bengal and Bangladesh. "A similar alert was ignored by Sri Lanka authorities and we saw the number of casualties. We have immediately responded to this input and alerted all our branches to maintain the highest level of alertness and preparedness to prevent any such attacks," added the official of West Bengal Police.

IB issues alert of fidayeen attack on Buddha Purnima in West Bengal, Bangladesh; security beefs up

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/2013-bodh-gaya-blasts-patna-court-finds-all-5-accused-guilty-139635">Bodh Gaya blast in 2018 </a>was carried out in retaliation of alleged atrocities against the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/un-expert-urges-caution-on-bangladeshs-rohingya-island-relocation-plan-192852"> Rohingyas in Myanmar</a> and to overawe the Indian government by the terrorist act, according to a supplementary charge sheet filed on Monday in a Patna court by the NIA.

It said Bangladesh-based terrorist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen was responsible for hatching the conspiracy to attack <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bodh-gaya-blasts-man-arrested-for-helping-procure-explosive-143687">Bodh Gaya temple</a> and other symbols of Buddhist faith.

In the charge sheet, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) named six people behind carrying out the attack.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/unicef-boss-urges-myanmar-to-enact-kofi-annans-recommendations-on-rohingya-crisis-193481">UNICEF chief urges Myanmar to enact Kofi Annan's recommendations on Rohingya crisis</a>

One of them is Bangladesh resident Md Jahidul Islam, and the other five are Md Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim, Mustafizur Rahman and Arif Hussain from West Bengal, according to a statement issued Monday.

The NIA said the investigation has revealed that Md Jahidul Islam alias Kausar along with the other accused formed a terrorist gang and hatched a conspiracy to plant IEDs in the Bodh Gaya temple complex and other symbols of Buddhist faith.

"The motive was to attack symbols of Buddhism in retaliation to the alleged atrocities committed on the Rohingyas in Myanmar and to overawe the government of India by the terrorist act," it said.

Investigations also revealed that the accused Ahmed Ali, Nur Alam, Paigambar Sheikh, Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim, Kausar and Mustafizur Rehman travelled to different places in south India, including Hyderabad and Chennai, where the conspiracy to target Bodh Gaya and other Buddhist places of worship was hatched, the NIA said.

"In furtherance of the conspiracy, the accused persons contacted and assembled at various places, took hideouts at Jehanabad and Masaurhi, recceed Bodh Gaya temple complex, procured the explosives and other materials for fabrication of the IEDs," it said.

According to the statement, Jahidul Islam fabricated three improvised explosive device (IED) and two hand grenades.

CCTV footage of the Bodh Gaya temple complex along with evidences collected during the probe established that Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain and Arif Hussain planted the IEDs in and around the premises of the Mahabodhi temple complex in Bodh Gaya on January 19, 2018, to cause loss of life and property during the auspicious

presence of Dalai Lama and also during the visit of the Governor of Bihar and thus committed a terrorist act, it said.

Dilwar Hossain also put one of the IEDs (hand grenades) in the cistern of a public toilet near Kalachakra maidan which was later recovered, the NIA said.

The investigation also established that the accused used fake and assumed names for travel and for renting hideouts, and used protected text for communication to conceal their real identities. The designs of the conspiracy to wage war against the government, it said.

The probe agency said that investigation also brought out that Jahidul Islam is a Bangladeshi fugitive who was staying in India without any legal documents and used different fake IDs.&nbsp;

It has been revealed that after committing the act of terror, the accused escaped and were hiding in various locations in and around Bengaluru and other places.

"The accused persons also committed a number of dacoities in and around Bengaluru in order to raise funds for their criminal activities. Accused Arif Hussain is still absconding and investigation against him continues," the NIA said.

A charge sheet was filed earlier against three accused Paigambar Sheikh, Ahmad Ali and Nur Alam in the NIA special court, Patna, on September 27, 2018.&nbsp;

The Bodh Gaya blast in 2018 was carried out in retaliation of alleged atrocities against the Rohingyas in Myanmar and to overawe the Indian government by the terrorist act, according to a supplementary charge sheet filed on Monday in a Patna court by the NIA.

The Bodh Gaya blast in 2018 was carried out in retaliation of alleged atrocities against the Rohingyas in Myanmar and to overawe the Indian government by the terrorist act, according to a supplementary charge sheet filed on Monday in a Patna court by the NIA. It said Bangladesh-based terrorist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen was responsible for hatching the conspiracy to attack Bodh Gaya temple and other symbols of Buddhist faith. In the charge sheet, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) named six people behind carrying out the attack. Also read: UNICEF chief urges Myanmar to enact Kofi Annan's recommendations on Rohingya crisis One of them is Bangladesh resident Md Jahidul Islam, and the other five are Md Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim, Mustafizur Rahman and Arif Hussain from West Bengal, according to a statement issued Monday. The NIA said the investigation has revealed that Md Jahidul Islam alias Kausar along with the other accused formed a terrorist gang and hatched a conspiracy to plant IEDs in the Bodh Gaya temple complex and other symbols of Buddhist faith. "The motive was to attack symbols of Buddhism in retaliation to the alleged atrocities committed on the Rohingyas in Myanmar and to overawe the government of India by the terrorist act," it said. Investigations also revealed that the accused Ahmed Ali, Nur Alam, Paigambar Sheikh, Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim, Kausar and Mustafizur Rehman travelled to different places in south India, including Hyderabad and Chennai, where the conspiracy to target Bodh Gaya and other Buddhist places of worship was hatched, the NIA said. "In furtherance of the conspiracy, the accused persons contacted and assembled at various places, took hideouts at Jehanabad and Masaurhi, recceed Bodh Gaya temple complex, procured the explosives and other materials for fabrication of the IEDs," it said. According to the statement, Jahidul Islam fabricated three improvised explosive device (IED) and two hand grenades. CCTV footage of the Bodh Gaya temple complex along with evidences collected during the probe established that Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain and Arif Hussain planted the IEDs in and around the premises of the Mahabodhi temple complex in Bodh Gaya on January 19, 2018, to cause loss of life and property during the auspicious presence of Dalai Lama and also during the visit of the Governor of Bihar and thus committed a terrorist act, it said. Dilwar Hossain also put one of the IEDs (hand grenades) in the cistern of a public toilet near Kalachakra maidan which was later recovered, the NIA said. The investigation also established that the accused used fake and assumed names for travel and for renting hideouts, and used protected text for communication to conceal their real identities. The designs of the conspiracy to wage war against the government, it said. The probe agency said that investigation also brought out that Jahidul Islam is a Bangladeshi fugitive who was staying in India without any legal documents and used different fake IDs. It has been revealed that after committing the act of terror, the accused escaped and were hiding in various locations in and around Bengaluru and other places. "The accused persons also committed a number of dacoities in and around Bengaluru in order to raise funds for their criminal activities. Accused Arif Hussain is still absconding and investigation against him continues," the NIA said. A charge sheet was filed earlier against three accused Paigambar Sheikh, Ahmad Ali and Nur Alam in the NIA special court, Patna, on September 27, 2018.

Bodh Gaya blast in retaliation to alleged atrocities against Rohingyas in Myanmar: NIA to court

Five people believed to be members of outlawed Islamist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB), who were arrested on Tuesday, were planning to carry out attacks on New Year&#39;s Eve in Dhaka, Bangaldesh police&#39;s counter-terrorism unit said.

Police found 30 kilograms of explosives when they raided an apartment in capital Dhaka&#39;s Darus Salam.

&ldquo;In primary interrogation, the militants told us that they had planned to carry out attacks on the 31st night, during New Year celebrations,&rdquo; Dhaka Tribune reported&nbsp;counter-terrorism unit chief Monirul Islam as saying.

The Bangladesh security has been on its toes ever since five militants stormed an upscale bakery in Gulshan Thana on July 1, 2016, killing 29 people including 20 hostages.

(WION)

Police say they recovered 30 kilograms of explosives when they raided their Dhaka apartment

Five people believed to be members of outlawed Islamist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB), who were arrested on Tuesday, were planning to carry out attacks on New Year's Eve in Dhaka, Bangaldesh police's counter-terrorism unit said. Police found 30 kilograms of explosives when they raided an apartment in capital Dhaka's Darus Salam. “In primary interrogation, the militants told us that they had planned to carry out attacks on the 31st night, during New Year celebrations,” Dhaka Tribune reported counter-terrorism unit chief Monirul Islam as saying. The Bangladesh security has been on its toes ever since five militants stormed an upscale bakery in Gulshan Thana on July 1, 2016, killing 29 people including 20 hostages. (WION)

Bangladesh: 5 'Islamist group' men planned Dec 31 attacks

A court in India&rsquo;s eastern state of Bengal granted 14 days of custody to the National Investigation Agency till October 27.&nbsp;

The investigating agency will be questioning and examining them to find out if they played any role in the attack at Dhaka&rsquo;s high security zone, Gulshan. The agency will also explore their links with the Islamic State, if any.

The six include JMB&rsquo;s Bengal unit chief, Inam alias Anwar Hussain, Maulana Yusuf, chief motivator of JMB across Madrasas in Bengal. Sahidul Islam, chief of the JMB in the North-eastern region.&nbsp;&nbsp;Md. Rubel alias Rafique is a resident of Jamalpur, Bangladesh and an expert in IEDs. Md. Abul Kalam was also an expert in IEDs and used to assist another operative, Sahidul. Jabirul Islam alias Jahidul Islam is a Bangladeshi national, who had entered India without any valid passport or visa.

The six JMB operatives were arrested by Kolkata Police from different parts of eastern India. Of all the six, three are Bangladeshi nationals and three are Indian nationals of Bangladesh origin. The arrested were running sleeper cells and their modules were active in eastern and north-eastern India and were plotting a terror attack in the eastern region of India.

Sources in the investigating agency highlight that these operatives were controlled and handled by JMB&#39;s Majlish-e-Shura, think-tank, in charge of India, Salahuddin. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

All the accused were wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the October 2, 2014, Burdwan blast case and most of them had a cash bounty on them.

Maulana Yusuf had a Rs.10 lac bounty on him by the NIA and Md. Rubel alias Rafique had a Rs.1 lac bounty on him. Md. Abul Kalam had a 3 lac bounty on him.

(WION)

The six operatives were arrested last month by Kolkata police from different parts of eastern India

A court in India’s eastern state of Bengal granted 14 days of custody to the National Investigation Agency till October 27. The investigating agency will be questioning and examining them to find out if they played any role in the attack at Dhaka’s high security zone, Gulshan. The agency will also explore their links with the Islamic State, if any. The six include JMB’s Bengal unit chief, Inam alias Anwar Hussain, Maulana Yusuf, chief motivator of JMB across Madrasas in Bengal. Sahidul Islam, chief of the JMB in the North-eastern region. Md. Rubel alias Rafique is a resident of Jamalpur, Bangladesh and an expert in IEDs. Md. Abul Kalam was also an expert in IEDs and used to assist another operative, Sahidul. Jabirul Islam alias Jahidul Islam is a Bangladeshi national, who had entered India without any valid passport or visa. The six JMB operatives were arrested by Kolkata Police from different parts of eastern India. Of all the six, three are Bangladeshi nationals and three are Indian nationals of Bangladesh origin. The arrested were running sleeper cells and their modules were active in eastern and north-eastern India and were plotting a terror attack in the eastern region of India. Sources in the investigating agency highlight that these operatives were controlled and handled by JMB's Majlish-e-Shura, think-tank, in charge of India, Salahuddin. All the accused were wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the October 2, 2014, Burdwan blast case and most of them had a cash bounty on them. Maulana Yusuf had a Rs.10 lac bounty on him by the NIA and Md. Rubel alias Rafique had a Rs.1 lac bounty on him. Md. Abul Kalam had a 3 lac bounty on him. (WION)

India's investigation agency takes custody of six Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen operatives

Bangladeshi security forces killed eleven members of an Islamist militant group on Saturday blamed for the Dhaka cafe massacre in July.&nbsp;

The eleven militants, believed to be from the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were killed in three separate raids in Gazipur and Tangail, on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka.&nbsp;

&quot;Eleven extremists were killed. They are all members of the neo-JMB (Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh),&quot; interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, referring to the outlawed group that killed 22 mostly foreign hostages at the cafe in July.

&ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t been able to identify the suspects individually,&rdquo; said Sanwar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime. One of killed was Akash, who police suspect, had been working as an organiser for the neo JMB. The members were killed in a gunfight at Aparkhola in Gazipur district, just outside Dhaka, after they rejected an offer to surrender.

The operation was followed by another raid on militant hideouts by Bangladesh&#39;s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), in which another four militants were shot. Explosives, AK 22 assault rifles, 7.65mm pistol, Jihadi books and four laptops were recovered during another raid at Gazipur carried out by the Rapid Action Battalion, said Mahiul Islam, a squad commander with the Rapid Action Battalion.

&ldquo;As of this evening, the total threat level has dropped by 99 percent. They do not have any more operational strength,&rdquo; Hossain told WION.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during an address to the Hindu community at a Puja Mandop in Dhaka said her government will show no sympathy for terrorism in the country and vowed to clamp down on them.

In August, police killed Tamim Chowdhury, a Canadian citizen of Bangladesh origin who has been heading the neo JMB and was a mastermind behind the July attack at the Dhaka&rsquo;s upmarket restaurant Holey Artisan Bakery.

The siege at the cafe in Dhaka&#39;s posh Gulshan neighbourhood was the deadliest in a series of assaults claimed by Islamist groups which have blighted Bangladesh in the last three years.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, posting photos of the carnage as it happened and pictures of the attackers holding IS flags online.

The home minister told reporters that Syed Ziaul Haque, the leader of another outlawed extremist group called Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) would soon be arrested.

&quot;He is under our surveillance. He&#39;ll be arrested anytime,&quot; Khan said.

The ABT, also known as Ansar al-Islam, is linked with Al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent and has been blamed for a series of murders of atheist and secular bloggers who were critical of Islam.

(WION) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Bangladesh's police claimed significant success against the militants after having reduced them to minimal operational strength

Bangladeshi security forces killed eleven members of an Islamist militant group on Saturday blamed for the Dhaka cafe massacre in July. The eleven militants, believed to be from the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were killed in three separate raids in Gazipur and Tangail, on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka. "Eleven extremists were killed. They are all members of the neo-JMB (Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh)," interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, referring to the outlawed group that killed 22 mostly foreign hostages at the cafe in July. “We haven’t been able to identify the suspects individually,” said Sanwar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime. One of killed was Akash, who police suspect, had been working as an organiser for the neo JMB. The members were killed in a gunfight at Aparkhola in Gazipur district, just outside Dhaka, after they rejected an offer to surrender. The operation was followed by another raid on militant hideouts by Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), in which another four militants were shot. Explosives, AK 22 assault rifles, 7.65mm pistol, Jihadi books and four laptops were recovered during another raid at Gazipur carried out by the Rapid Action Battalion, said Mahiul Islam, a squad commander with the Rapid Action Battalion. “As of this evening, the total threat level has dropped by 99 percent. They do not have any more operational strength,” Hossain told WION. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during an address to the Hindu community at a Puja Mandop in Dhaka said her government will show no sympathy for terrorism in the country and vowed to clamp down on them. In August, police killed Tamim Chowdhury, a Canadian citizen of Bangladesh origin who has been heading the neo JMB and was a mastermind behind the July attack at the Dhaka’s upmarket restaurant Holey Artisan Bakery. The siege at the cafe in Dhaka's posh Gulshan neighbourhood was the deadliest in a series of assaults claimed by Islamist groups which have blighted Bangladesh in the last three years. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, posting photos of the carnage as it happened and pictures of the attackers holding IS flags online. The home minister told reporters that Syed Ziaul Haque, the leader of another outlawed extremist group called Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) would soon be arrested. "He is under our surveillance. He'll be arrested anytime," Khan said. The ABT, also known as Ansar al-Islam, is linked with Al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent and has been blamed for a series of murders of atheist and secular bloggers who were critical of Islam. (WION)

Bangladeshi police kill eleven members of Islamist group blamed for Dhaka cafe attack

Bangladesh&#39;s security forces killed four members of a Islamist militant group on Saturday blamed for on attack on a cafe in Dhaka in July in which 22 people were killed, mostly foreigners.

The four militants, believed to be members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, were killed in two raids by Bangladesh&#39;s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on militant hideouts on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka, RAB spokesman Mizanur Rahman Bhuiya said.

The July 1 attack in Dhaka&#39;s diplomatic quarter was claimed by the Islamic State militant group and was one of the most brazen in Bangladesh, which has been hit by a spate of killings of liberals and members of religious minorities in the past year.

The government has blamed domestic militant groups but security experts say the scale and sophistication of the July attack suggested links to a trans-national Islamist network.

Police have killed more than two dozen suspected militants in shootouts since the Dhaka cafe attack, including its presumed mastermind, Bangladesh-born Canadian citizen Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury.

The United States believes elements of Islamic State are &quot;connected&quot; to operatives in Bangladesh, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said during a visit to Dhaka in August.

The targeting of foreigners could hurt foreign investment in the poor South Asian economy, whose $28-billion garments export industry is the world&#39;s second largest. Nine Italians, seven Japanese, an American and an Indian were among those killed in the July attack. 
 
(Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

The four militants, believed to be members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, were killed in two raids by Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion

Bangladesh's security forces killed four members of a Islamist militant group on Saturday blamed for on attack on a cafe in Dhaka in July in which 22 people were killed, mostly foreigners. The four militants, believed to be members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, were killed in two raids by Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on militant hideouts on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka, RAB spokesman Mizanur Rahman Bhuiya said. The July 1 attack in Dhaka's diplomatic quarter was claimed by the Islamic State militant group and was one of the most brazen in Bangladesh, which has been hit by a spate of killings of liberals and members of religious minorities in the past year. The government has blamed domestic militant groups but security experts say the scale and sophistication of the July attack suggested links to a trans-national Islamist network. Police have killed more than two dozen suspected militants in shootouts since the Dhaka cafe attack, including its presumed mastermind, Bangladesh-born Canadian citizen Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury. The United States believes elements of Islamic State are "connected" to operatives in Bangladesh, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said during a visit to Dhaka in August. The targeting of foreigners could hurt foreign investment in the poor South Asian economy, whose $28-billion garments export industry is the world's second largest. Nine Italians, seven Japanese, an American and an Indian were among those killed in the July attack. (Reuters)

Bangladesh kills four members of Islamist group blamed for cafe attack

Islamic State has warned of repeated attacks in Bangladesh and beyond until rule by sharia, Islamic law, is established, saying in a video last week&#39;s killing of 20 people in a Dhaka cafe was merely a glimpse of what is to come. 
 
Five Bangladesh militants, most from wealthy, liberal families, stormed the upmarket restaurant on Friday and murdered customers, the majority of them foreigners from Italy, Japan, India and the United States, before they were gunned down. 
 
&quot;What you witnessed in Bangladesh...was a glimpse. This will repeat, repeat and repeat until you lose and we win and the sharia is established throughout the world,&quot; said a man identified as Bangladeshi fighter Abu Issa al-Bengali, in the video monitored by SITE intelligence site. 
 
Bangladesh has rejected the Islamic State&#39;s claim of responsibility for the Friday attack and blamed it on a domestic militant group.&nbsp;It was one of the deadliest attacks in Bangladesh, where Islamic State and al-Qaeda have claimed a series of killings of liberals and members of religious minorities in the past year. The government has also dismissed those claims. 
 
The IS video began with pictures of recent attacks in Paris, Brussels and Orlando in the United States that the Middle East-based militants have claimed. 
 
The fighter in the video, who spoke in both Bengali and English, said Bangladesh must know that it was now part of a bigger battlefield to establish the cross-border &quot;caliphate&quot; the group proclaimed in 2014. 
 
&quot;I want to tell the rulers of Bangladesh that the jihad you see today is not the same that you knew in the past,&quot; he said from a busy street in the militant group&#39;s de facto capital of Raqqa, in Syria.&nbsp;&quot;The jihad that is waged today is a jihad under the shade of the Caliphate.&quot; 
 
Though Bangladesh has rejected the IS claim of responsibility for Friday&#39;s attack, police said they were stepping up security in response to the video threat.&nbsp;&quot;We are taking this issue seriously. All our concerned units are working tirelessly,&quot; said deputy police inspector general Shahidur Rahman. 
 
Police believe the domestic Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, played a significant role in organising the band of privileged, educated young men who carried out the attack. 
 
Police have said they are hunting for six members of the group suspected to have helped the attackers. 
 
But foreign security experts say the scale and sophistication of the attack on the Holey Artisan bakery cafe pointed to some level of guidance from international militant groups.&nbsp;Officials in Dhaka said on Tuesday police commandos had mistakenly shot dead a restaurant chef during the operation to end the siege. 
 
HT Imam, a political adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also said security officials had seen online warnings about an impending attack on Friday and ordered major hotels and restaurants in the neighbourhood of the cafe shut.&nbsp;But they missed the actual target, he said. 
 
(Reuters)

IS warns of repeated attacks in Bangladesh and beyond until rule by sharia, Islamic law, is established throughout the world

Islamic State has warned of repeated attacks in Bangladesh and beyond until rule by sharia, Islamic law, is established, saying in a video last week's killing of 20 people in a Dhaka cafe was merely a glimpse of what is to come. Five Bangladesh militants, most from wealthy, liberal families, stormed the upmarket restaurant on Friday and murdered customers, the majority of them foreigners from Italy, Japan, India and the United States, before they were gunned down. "What you witnessed in Bangladesh...was a glimpse. This will repeat, repeat and repeat until you lose and we win and the sharia is established throughout the world," said a man identified as Bangladeshi fighter Abu Issa al-Bengali, in the video monitored by SITE intelligence site. Bangladesh has rejected the Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the Friday attack and blamed it on a domestic militant group. It was one of the deadliest attacks in Bangladesh, where Islamic State and al-Qaeda have claimed a series of killings of liberals and members of religious minorities in the past year. The government has also dismissed those claims. The IS video began with pictures of recent attacks in Paris, Brussels and Orlando in the United States that the Middle East-based militants have claimed. The fighter in the video, who spoke in both Bengali and English, said Bangladesh must know that it was now part of a bigger battlefield to establish the cross-border "caliphate" the group proclaimed in 2014. "I want to tell the rulers of Bangladesh that the jihad you see today is not the same that you knew in the past," he said from a busy street in the militant group's de facto capital of Raqqa, in Syria. "The jihad that is waged today is a jihad under the shade of the Caliphate." Though Bangladesh has rejected the IS claim of responsibility for Friday's attack, police said they were stepping up security in response to the video threat. "We are taking this issue seriously. All our concerned units are working tirelessly," said deputy police inspector general Shahidur Rahman. Police believe the domestic Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, played a significant role in organising the band of privileged, educated young men who carried out the attack. Police have said they are hunting for six members of the group suspected to have helped the attackers. But foreign security experts say the scale and sophistication of the attack on the Holey Artisan bakery cafe pointed to some level of guidance from international militant groups. Officials in Dhaka said on Tuesday police commandos had mistakenly shot dead a restaurant chef during the operation to end the siege. HT Imam, a political adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also said security officials had seen online warnings about an impending attack on Friday and ordered major hotels and restaurants in the neighbourhood of the cafe shut. But they missed the actual target, he said. (Reuters)

Dhaka cafe attack a glimpse of what's coming, says Islamic State

Early in June, a man walked into the Dhaka premises of the Ramakrishna Mission, a Hindu centre for spirituality and learning in the Bangladesh capital, and delivered a handwritten note warning of an attack by Islamic State. 
 
Days later, armed policemen were sitting inside the mission&#39;s compound among orange-robed monks, the gates outside were closed and fewer people than normal showed up at a medical clinic it runs for the neighbourhood. 
 
&quot;We are monks, we will live and die here, but people with families are worried,&quot; Swami Shivananda, a priest managing the administration of the mission, said of the country&#39;s Hindu community, which accounts for 10 per cent of the population. 
 
Islamic State and al Qaeda have claimed responsibility for the killings of more than 30 people since early last year, in an escalation of militant violence targeting liberals, atheists, foreigners, gays and religious minorities. 
 
They have shocked the largely moderate Muslim country of 160 million people and heightened fears that Bangladesh, once hailed as the next Asian tiger economy with its huge garment industry, could lose out to more stable competitors in the region. 
 
Unlike some security experts, Bangladesh authorities say the two international jihadi movements are not directly involved in the murders, many of which were carried out with machetes. 
 
But, as the police at the Hindu mission attest, the danger is real, and counter-terrorism officials warn it could get worse with one local militant group adopting al Qaeda&#39;s methods and calling on the expertise of a former army major implicated in a failed 2011 coup. 
 
Deadly rivalry&nbsp; 
 
Security officials say two local militant groups, Ansar-al-Islam and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, are behind the killings. 
 
Of the two, Ansar, which pledges allegiance to al Qaeda, has emerged as the most organised and dangerous, they say, while Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen is seen as a looser organisation that claims it represents Islamic State but has no proven links to it. 
 
&quot;By now we have a clear idea of the organisational structure, command and control and methods of operations of Ansar-al-Islam,&quot; Monirul Islam, chief of Bangladesh&#39;s counter-terrorism police, told Reuters in a recent interview. 
 
&quot;They follow the ideology of al Qaeda, their operational leaders are mostly educated men, (from a) middle class background. They declare their allegiance to al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and, through it, to Ayman al-Zawahri,&quot; he said, referring to al Qaeda&#39;s global leader. 
 
According to Thomas Joscelyn, senior editor at The Long War Journal that tracks jihadi groups worldwide, there was evidence of more direct links between Bangladesh and al Qaeda, and he warned the Islamist militant threat had been underestimated. 
 
&quot;We now have competition between al Qaeda and the Islamic State in Bangladesh, which means that the jihadist pool is deep enough for both organizations to operate in the country.&quot; 
 
In May, 2015, AQIS leader Asim Umar claimed responsibility for the murder of Avijit Roy, a US citizen and blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh that February. US officials said at the time they were unable to confirm the claim. 
 
Initially, Ansar struck bloggers and publishers critical of radical Islam, then university teachers, including one who asked a woman student to remove her veil in class. 
 
In April, it said it murdered two gay rights activists, saying they were promoting anti-Islamic activities, police said. 
 
Mysterious ex-officer 
 
Also worrying for authorities is the apparent rise within Ansar&#39;s ranks of former army Major Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque, who went into hiding after the military accused him of involvement in a plot to overthrow the government in 2011. 
 
&quot;We have a suspicion that the ex-major is one of their leaders,&quot; said counter-terrorism chief Islam. &quot;He is in hiding. We know his capability. If he is involved, it is a strength for Ansar-al-Islam.&quot; 
 
Zia, as intelligence agencies call him, was from the engineer corps and trained in special operations. 
 
His would be the first known case of a Bangladesh military officer switching sides to join a militant group, although it has happened elsewhere. 
 
A military spokesman said Zia had been dismissed from service five years ago, but added that he was not in a position to speak about Zia&#39;s activities since then. 
 
Zia&#39;s involvement with Ansar was first mentioned by the head of its predecessor group following his capture in 2013, two police officials said. 
 
Zia was helping in the training of the fighters, motivating them to carry out jihad against &quot;anti-Islam&quot; forces and also taught bomb-making skills, one official briefed on the interrogation report said. 
 
Reuters could not independently verify the police claims. 
 
At the same time, Islamic State has said it was behind the killings of Hindus, Buddhists and members of minority Muslim sects, which have accelerated in recent weeks. 
 
Security officials tie those deaths to Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, a home grown group inspired by Islamic State&#39;s vision of a caliphate. 
 
Police official Islam said authorities had found computer evidence that Bangladesh-origin foreign fighters, some in Syria, were claiming attacks on behalf of Islamic State as soon as they occurred. 
 
But he said there was no evidence of operational ties with the Middle East-based movement. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

They follow the ideology of al Qaeda and their operational leaders are mostly educated men from the middle class

Early in June, a man walked into the Dhaka premises of the Ramakrishna Mission, a Hindu centre for spirituality and learning in the Bangladesh capital, and delivered a handwritten note warning of an attack by Islamic State. Days later, armed policemen were sitting inside the mission's compound among orange-robed monks, the gates outside were closed and fewer people than normal showed up at a medical clinic it runs for the neighbourhood. "We are monks, we will live and die here, but people with families are worried," Swami Shivananda, a priest managing the administration of the mission, said of the country's Hindu community, which accounts for 10 per cent of the population. Islamic State and al Qaeda have claimed responsibility for the killings of more than 30 people since early last year, in an escalation of militant violence targeting liberals, atheists, foreigners, gays and religious minorities. They have shocked the largely moderate Muslim country of 160 million people and heightened fears that Bangladesh, once hailed as the next Asian tiger economy with its huge garment industry, could lose out to more stable competitors in the region. Unlike some security experts, Bangladesh authorities say the two international jihadi movements are not directly involved in the murders, many of which were carried out with machetes. But, as the police at the Hindu mission attest, the danger is real, and counter-terrorism officials warn it could get worse with one local militant group adopting al Qaeda's methods and calling on the expertise of a former army major implicated in a failed 2011 coup. Deadly rivalry Security officials say two local militant groups, Ansar-al-Islam and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, are behind the killings. Of the two, Ansar, which pledges allegiance to al Qaeda, has emerged as the most organised and dangerous, they say, while Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen is seen as a looser organisation that claims it represents Islamic State but has no proven links to it. "By now we have a clear idea of the organisational structure, command and control and methods of operations of Ansar-al-Islam," Monirul Islam, chief of Bangladesh's counter-terrorism police, told Reuters in a recent interview. "They follow the ideology of al Qaeda, their operational leaders are mostly educated men, (from a) middle class background. They declare their allegiance to al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and, through it, to Ayman al-Zawahri," he said, referring to al Qaeda's global leader. According to Thomas Joscelyn, senior editor at The Long War Journal that tracks jihadi groups worldwide, there was evidence of more direct links between Bangladesh and al Qaeda, and he warned the Islamist militant threat had been underestimated. "We now have competition between al Qaeda and the Islamic State in Bangladesh, which means that the jihadist pool is deep enough for both organizations to operate in the country." In May, 2015, AQIS leader Asim Umar claimed responsibility for the murder of Avijit Roy, a US citizen and blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh that February. US officials said at the time they were unable to confirm the claim. Initially, Ansar struck bloggers and publishers critical of radical Islam, then university teachers, including one who asked a woman student to remove her veil in class. In April, it said it murdered two gay rights activists, saying they were promoting anti-Islamic activities, police said. Mysterious ex-officer Also worrying for authorities is the apparent rise within Ansar's ranks of former army Major Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque, who went into hiding after the military accused him of involvement in a plot to overthrow the government in 2011. "We have a suspicion that the ex-major is one of their leaders," said counter-terrorism chief Islam. "He is in hiding. We know his capability. If he is involved, it is a strength for Ansar-al-Islam." Zia, as intelligence agencies call him, was from the engineer corps and trained in special operations. His would be the first known case of a Bangladesh military officer switching sides to join a militant group, although it has happened elsewhere. A military spokesman said Zia had been dismissed from service five years ago, but added that he was not in a position to speak about Zia's activities since then. Zia's involvement with Ansar was first mentioned by the head of its predecessor group following his capture in 2013, two police officials said. Zia was helping in the training of the fighters, motivating them to carry out jihad against "anti-Islam" forces and also taught bomb-making skills, one official briefed on the interrogation report said. Reuters could not independently verify the police claims. At the same time, Islamic State has said it was behind the killings of Hindus, Buddhists and members of minority Muslim sects, which have accelerated in recent weeks. Security officials tie those deaths to Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, a home grown group inspired by Islamic State's vision of a caliphate. Police official Islam said authorities had found computer evidence that Bangladesh-origin foreign fighters, some in Syria, were claiming attacks on behalf of Islamic State as soon as they occurred. But he said there was no evidence of operational ties with the Middle East-based movement. (Reuters)

Home-grown militants and former army officer behind attacks on Bangladeshi minorities, say police

Bangladesh police have shot dead five suspected members of a banned group in three days, including one on Wednesday, as security forces stepped up the hunt for Islamist militants behind a series of attacks in the majority-Muslim nation. 
 
Five suspected members of the outlawed Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, an Islamic fundamentalist organisation operating in Bangladesh, have been killed in shootouts since the wife of a prominent counter-terrorism police official was shot dead by suspected Islamist militants on Sunday, police said. 
 
An elderly Hindu priest and a veteran Christian have also been hacked to death in attacks claimed by the Islamic State. 
 
Since February last year, militants in Bangladesh have killed more than 30 people, including liberal bloggers and academics and members of religious minorities. 
 
Islamic State and al-Qaeda have claimed responsibility for most of the killings but the government denies that either group has a presence in the country of 160 million people. 
 
Police says two outlawed groups, Ansarullah Bangla Team and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, are behind the violence.

The militants belonged to Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, a banned organisation, that allegedly shot the wife of a counter-terrorism police official

Bangladesh police have shot dead five suspected members of a banned group in three days, including one on Wednesday, as security forces stepped up the hunt for Islamist militants behind a series of attacks in the majority-Muslim nation. Five suspected members of the outlawed Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, an Islamic fundamentalist organisation operating in Bangladesh, have been killed in shootouts since the wife of a prominent counter-terrorism police official was shot dead by suspected Islamist militants on Sunday, police said. An elderly Hindu priest and a veteran Christian have also been hacked to death in attacks claimed by the Islamic State. Since February last year, militants in Bangladesh have killed more than 30 people, including liberal bloggers and academics and members of religious minorities. Islamic State and al-Qaeda have claimed responsibility for most of the killings but the government denies that either group has a presence in the country of 160 million people. Police says two outlawed groups, Ansarullah Bangla Team and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, are behind the violence.

Bangladesh police kill five suspected militants amid crackdown

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