Are JMB and IS linked?

Besides ISIS, the banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) has come to the forefront yet again for its possible involvement in recent attacks across the country held in the past two months.
It is speculated that faction of JMB is carrying out the attacks on behalf of Middle East-based militant outfit Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The new issue of Dabiq, the ISIS magazine, (published on 18 November) terms JMB founder Shayakh Abdur Rahman ‘Shaheed Mujahid’ and lauds JMB roles in Bangladesh.
However, police think ISIS is responsible for the murder of two foreign citizens and a publisher while the remaining attacks could have been conducted by the JMB.
On the other hand, the debate over the ISIS existence in Bangladesh has reached a new height in recent times.
Food minister Kamrul Islam on Saturday told a discussion that the United States is trying to enter Bangladesh on the plea of existence of extremist group ISIS.
“The US is trying to enter Bangladesh by presenting it a militant state,” he said.
The home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at the same programme alleged that vested quarters are out to prove Bangladesh "a failed state", branding the country as a hotspot of militant activities.
The minister reiterated the government's concern over such 'attempt' to stigmatise Bangladesh, while addressing the discussion with imams and muazzens in Kamrangirchar area of Dhaka.
“There is no IS-like entity in Bangladesh,” said the home minister. He expressed his views that an attempt is being made to create divisions among the people.
However, if the recent incidents of attacks are analysed apart from blogger killings, it will be found that the attacks began from 4 September when miscreants hacked Rahmatullah alias Lengta Fakir and his disciple to death in Chittagong due to the anti-shrine (anti-mazar) doctrine. Since then, a total of 14 such incidents were carried out in the country.
Of the 14 attacks, at least 11 were conducted by the JMB, according to investigation officials. And detectives suspect militant outfits like Ansarullah Bangla Team is behind the killing of publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan and other bloggers.
If JMB’s past is reviewed, it can be seen that the group’s primary target was to attack on shrines, peers (revered religious instructors), Khankahs and people who had different opinions over religion before JMB's series bomb blasts across the country in 2005.
After a decade, the JMB reemerged in the country but this time its target is to attack on Christian priests, Shia and Baha'i communities.
Similarly, the main target of ISIS is to fight against the Shia communities and the Paris attack is an evident that ISIS is now trying to extend its war periphery outside the Middle East.
Earlier on 23 February in 2014, a group of miscreants intercepted a prison van, opened fire on police, killing a constable, and snatched away three including two death row activists of JMB in Trishal upazila of Mymensingh.
Of them, Hafez Mahmud was killed in crossfire but the rest two Salahuddin alias Saleheen and Boma Mizan are now at large.
According to several officials of law enforcement agencies who mainly work with militancy, the JMB unleashed its killing mission two years ago from Khulna.
Intelligence sources that have been monitoring militancy activities for the suspected murders of a pir and his assistant in a shrine in Bangla Bazar area of Chittagong; the murder of Taiyabur Rahman, who claimed to be the Ummul Muminin in Khulna’s Khalishpur, and his son; the killing of Lutfur Rahman, who claimed himself to be Imam Mahadi, and five others in the capital’s Gopibagh area; and murder of controversial religious speaker Nurul Islam Faruki. These murders were somehow interlinked and JMB might have been involved.
Later on 4 September, Rahmatullah alias Lengta Fakir and his disciple were hacked to death in the port city. Police again claimed involvement of JMB with the incident.
A new spell of killing incidents started on 28 September with the killing of Italian citizen Tavella Cesare at Gulshan area of Dhaka. IS claimed the responsibility on Twitter, immediately after the murder. The debate over the existence of IS in the country mainly started after the claim. However, police informed the media about arresting persons reportedly ‘coordinators’, ‘recruiters’, or ‘members’ of IS and no question was raised from the government about it.
Japanese citizen Kunio Hoshi was killed on 3 October in Rangpur, the same way Italian citizen Tavella was killed just five days ago. IS also claimed the responsibility of the killing which government strongly denounced and said political opponents were responsible for the murder. A number of BNP men were also arrested in connection with both the incidents.
On 4 October, miscreants attacked and tried to hack a Christian priest Luke Sarkar in Pabna's Ishwardi upazila. On the next day, miscreants slaughtered former chairman of Power Development Board (PDB) Khijir Khan, also a so-called pir, at his Khanka Sharif (gathering place of followers) in Dhaka. On October 22, an assistant sub-inspector of police, Ibrahim Molla, was hacked to death at a police checkpoint in the capital’s Darus Salam area. A bomb attack took place at Hussaini Dalan during the preparation of Tajia procession on the next day of the incident.
Faisal Arefin, a publisher was hacked to death at Aziz Super Marker on 31 October. Assailants severely hacked three people, including publisher publisher Ahmed Rashid with sharp weapons at Dhaka’s Lalmatia area on the same day.
Later, an industrial police constable was killed at Ashulia police checkpoint on 4 November, an Italian priest was attacked in Dinajpur on the same day. Ruhul Amin, director of Bahai centre in Rangpur town was attacked on 8 November. A Shia man was attacked at the symbolic Karbala in Syedpur on 12 November.
On 10 November, a disciple of Kawnia shrine in Rangpur was hacked to death. The latest incident took place on 26 November when Shia mosque was attacked.
There are two views regarding such incidents. One is, the shrines and Khanka Sharif are the old targets of JMB. Another is, killing foreign citizens, and attacks on Christian priests, and on Shia community. IS did not claimed the responsibility of the attacks on the old targets of JMB.
The IS also explained their opinion about the attacks in their propaganda magazine 'Dabiq’.
As Example: Tavella Cesare was claimed to be a ‘Crusader’. Tavella used to work with the NGOs involved with churches. About Kunio Hoshi it claimed that he was a Japanese citizen. IS will kill any Japanese citizen wherever found, to harm the interest of US as Japan is ally of US. IS termed Shias as ‘Rafiza’ (Rejector) and claimed the attack at Hussaini Dalan on the night of Ashura.
However, police in the press conference claimed that they have arrested five people including the militant who led the Hussaini Dalan attack. They all are members of JMB.
Talking about the IS claim of killing two foreigners in their magazine, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, “there is nothing called IS in this country. BNP leader Kaiyum killed Italian citizen Tavella by hiring shooter with the help of his brother. The people involved with these incidents are trying to promote the name of IS. The defeated forces of 1971 are only JMB, IS."
DMP joint commissioner (DB) Monirul Islam in Thursday’s press conference said JMB is trying to attract foreign organisations to create anarchy. It was not clear whether they have claimed obedience of IS or any other organisation. The responsibilities of the incidents claimed after the incidents were done from Bangladesh only.
Director (Investigation) of Ain o Shalish Kendra M Nur Khan is following the activities of JMB from the start. According to him, country’s extremists have a trend of supporting the ideology of IS.
After observing the overall situation, it is clear that JMB has become a new cause for concern. The question and is whether JMB is connected with IS or creating anarchy along with them or not. Or it is active to seek attention of IS.
A number of intelligence officials related with curbing militancy said it is still not clear who is the new leader of JMB. According to an article of Dabiq, the Mujaheeds in Bangladesh are reorganizing after they selected a leader. The intelligence officials still cannot figure out that the selected leader and the present chief of JMB is the same person or not, and whether the continuous incidents one after another is making a plot for any big incident or not.
Another official said the intelligence is also keeping the conspiracy government is talking about in consideration.