Tamim, 10 others helped militants
Police have filed cases against 10 persons, including Tamim Chowdhury, for “aiding and abetting in the provision of funds, weapons, training and instructions to leaders, activists and supporters of the banned militant outfit JMB and its associate organisations”.
The case was filed by Mirpur model police station inspector (operations) Mohammed Shahjalal Alam under the anti-terrorism act at the same police station yesterday, Thursday, following the recent police raid in Kalyanpur in which nine militants were killed.
The main accused in the case is Rakibul Hasan alias Regan, who was arrested in a wounded state on Tuesday morning during the shootout at Kalyanpur. The other nine accused persons, including Tamim Chowdhury, are in hiding.
In reply to a query, head of the police’s counter terrorism department Monirul Islam confirmed that this Tamim Chowdhury was the same as the much-talked-about Bangladeshi-origin Canadian national Tamim Chowdhury. This is the first case against Tamim Chowdhury in Bangladesh, he said.
Another police source claimed that investigators were suspecting that Tamim was one of the main planners behind the attack on Gulshan’s Holey Artisan restaurant.
The other accused in the Kalyanpur incident are Iqbal, Ripon, Khaled, Mamun, Manik, Junaid Khan, Badal, Azadul alias Kabiraj and one unidentified person. The father’s names and full addresses of these persons have not been given. Police sources say the cases have been filed against them based on information provided by the arrested Rakibul Hasan.
The case statement maintained that they wanted to spread alarm among the people in order to endanger Bangladesh’s public security, solidarity and sovereignty and to tarnish the country’s image abroad. They have been accused of attacking and injuring the police with firearms, explosives and sharp weapons, and providing militants with training, grenades, assistance, funds and instigation.
The police statement said that Rakibul Hasan alias Regan, presently under treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, told them that the accused as well as several other unidentified persons would visit their flat in Kalyanpur. They would inspire them with religious and jihadi discourse and provide them with funds.
It was said that the militants opened fire and hurled a few grenades at the police when the police knocked at the Taj Manzil door in Kalyanpur at 12:35am on Monday night. Police assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Deen Mohammed was wounded in the incident.
During a press conference at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s media centre Thursday morning, head of the police’s counter-terrorism and trans-national crime department Monirul Islam said, some of those killed in the Kalyanpur raid had connection with those killed in the Gulshan incident. He said Nibras, who was killed in the Gulshan siege, was a friend of Shehzad Rauf alias Orko, who was killed in the Kalyanpur incident. Raihan Kabir, also killed in Kalyanpur, was previously enlisted by the police as Tarek. He was from Rangpur and he had long been wanted by the police.
Monirul Islam said, “In investigating the Gulshan incident, we came to know that two persons provided training to seven militants at a char (sandbar) of Sadullahpur, Gaibandha. Raihan alias Tarek was one of the trainers. He was a commander of JMB’s Dhaka zone.”
Monirul Islam dubbed the killed militants as “neo-JMB”, saying, “They destroyed two of their laptops during the operations and burned a lot of important documents and money. Even so, vital information has been recovered from there. More information has been revealed by the injured Hasan and other sources. Hasan revealed that one of the militants who fled from Kalyanpur was named Iqbal. A search is on for him.”