Bangladesh: Militant's Taliban Connection

[Bhushan]

Bangladesh: Militant's Taliban Connection

The Bangladesh government, for the first time, officially endorsed a fact that, a hidden link between the local militants and Taliban terrorists has been established during the past several years. The Government also said that a large number of militants were recruited in the country’s law enforcement agencies and the armed forces during the past BNP-Islamist Coalition government.

Earlier, the Commerce Minister, retired Lieutenant Colonel Faruk Khan, told reporters that militants penetrated into the country’s border security forces, who were liable for the February Massacre that took place at the headquarters of the Bangladesh Riffles [BDR] killing a large number of army officers, and the rape and physical abuse of several people. The minister claimed that the Islamist militancy group JMB had a hand in the entire conspiracy of the February Massacre.

However, the Law Minister, Barrister Shafiq Ahmed, rejected the comments of the Commerce Minister saying, “It will not be proper to accuse anybody until a full investigation report is available. On the conclusion of the investigation, the names of persons involved will be made public.”

On Monday, retired Lt. Col. Faruk Khan reaffirmed his previous comment about the militant connection with the February Massacre inside BDR headquarters, which once again claimed that militants have penetrated inside law enforcement and other agencies in the country.

Meanwhile, intelligence agencies in Bangladesh have sent a report to the Prime Minister about the existing militant groups in the country. According to the report, at least 12 militant outfits are active in Bangladesh; and have foreign funding links and relations with local political parties. The 12 militant outfits are: Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh [JMB], Harkatul Jihad al Islami [Huji], Hizb Ut Towhid, Ulama Anjuman al Bainat, Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Islamic Democratic Party [IDP], Islami Samaj, Touhid Trust, Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh [JMJB], Shahadat-E-Al Hikma Party Bangladesh, Tamira Ad-Din Bangladesh [Hizb-E-Abu Omar] and Allah’r Dal [Hezbollah]. The report however did not mention names of other militant outfits such as Zadid Al-Qaeda, Khatmey Nabuat Movement and Khatmey Nabuat Andolan.

Bangladesh government has so far banned four Islamist militant outfits named: Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh [JMB], Harkatul Jihad al Islami [Huji], Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh and Shahadat-E-Al Hikma.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on February 16, 2009 directed the intelligence agencies to work in a coordinated way to thwart recurrence of incidents like the February's massacre at the Bangladesh Rifles [BDR] headquarters. Bangladesh presently has five intelligence agencies named National Security Intelligence [NSI], Directorate General of Forces Intelligence [DGFI], Military Intelligence [MI], Special Branch [SB] and Detective Branch [DB] of Police.

The present government is set to reorganize the activities of the intelligence wings gradually. It recently changed the director general of National Security Intelligence [NSI]. Retired Brigradier General Manzur Ahmed has been placed in the post replacing Major General Shaikh Monirul Islam.

The Taliban connection with Bangladeshi militants has been claimed since 2003 by a number of local analysts in the country. It appears that 64,000 Madrassas as well as Kindergarten Madrassas [mostly funded by Afro-Arab sources] are breeding grounds of Jihadists. Anti-Semitic and anti-West hatreds are planted in the minds of Talibans [Students of Madrassas] in by the Islamist clergies and religious teachers.

 

[TopCat]

There were not a single terror attack in Bangladesh for the last 3 years. Bangladesh made significant progress in this regard.

 

[Bhushan]

There were not a single terror attack in Bangladesh for the last 3 years. Bangladesh made significant progress in this regard.

Sir i think you didn't read the complete article.

The Bangladesh government, for the first time, officially endorsed a fact that, a hidden link between the local militants and Taliban terrorists has been established during the past several years. The Government also said that a large number of militants were recruited in the country’s law enforcement agencies and the armed forces during the past BNP-Islamist Coalition government.

Earlier, the Commerce Minister, retired Lieutenant Colonel Faruk Khan, told reporters that militants penetrated into the country’s border security forces, who were liable for the February Massacre that took place at the headquarters of the Bangladesh Riffles [BDR] killing a large number of army officers, and the rape and physical abuse of several people. The minister claimed that the Islamist militancy group JMB had a hand in the entire conspiracy of the February Massacre.

 

[Bhushan]

British-run orphanage in Bangladesh 'is Islamist training camp

A raid on an orphanage in Bangladesh has uncovered a suspected Islamic militant training camp with links to a British charity run by a man acquitted of being part of an al-Qaeda bomb plot.

The home of Faisal Mostafa in the Heaton Mersey district of Stockport, Greater Manchester, is the headquarters of the Green Crescent charity, whose orphanage on the island of Bhola in Bangladesh is under investigation for allegedly being a front for a militant training camp and arms factory.

Lieutenant-Colonel Munir Haque, a senior officer of the elite Rapid Action Battalion, who oversaw the raid on Tuesday, told The Times: “We found small arms — about nine or ten in total — plus equipment to make small arms, about 3,000 rounds of ammunition, two walkie-talkies, two remote-control devices and four sets of army uniforms.

“We also found enough explosives and other equipment to make several hundred grenades. We found some ordinary Islamic books, but others that are in line with extremists like [Osama] bin Laden.”

The battalion arrested four people — a teacher and three caretakers — and began an investigation into the Green Crescent charity.

Colonel Haque said that there were green banners around the compound bearing the name Green Crescent, and local people had told them that it was a British charity financed by a man they knew as “Faisal”, who they said had lived in Britain for 25 years.

Mamunur Rashid, another officer involved in the raid, described the orphanage as a madrassa, or Islamic seminary, and said that the charity had plans to build two more. “It is a big madrassa and we have so far gathered that this whole compound is being used for militant training,” he said.

The charity’s website, greencrescent.org, shows that it is involved in projects in Bhola, as well as several others around Bangladesh and at least one in Pakistan. The site says that the charity — registered in Britain under number 1099233 — was founded in 1998 by students in Britain and Bangladesh.

The family of Dr Mostafa, 45, who has a chemistry degree and a PhD in metals corrosion, said yesterday that he had set up the orphanage because of a humanitarian desire to help poor children. Colonel Haque said that there were about 11 children between the ages of 7 and 8 at the compound at the time of the raid.

Ashraf Ali, a British Bangladeshi teacher from Stockport, whose telephone number is listed on the charity website, told The Times that he did not work for Green Crescent, but had helped to organise fundraising events.

“Faisal’s a respected guy,” he said. “They’re doing amazing work. He travels to Bangladesh once a year on average, sometimes taking teams of doctors with him.”

Dr Mostafa was acquitted in February 2002 of plotting with Moinul Abedin, also Bangladeshi-born, to cause explosions. Both were arrested in Birmingham. Abedin was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

They had been under surveillance by MI5 officers in an operation codenamed Large. Abedin was given the personal codename “Pivotal Dancer”.

MI5 regarded the Birmingham case as the first evidence of al-Qaeda activity in Britain. Since his acquittal in 2002 Dr Mostafa has remained a subject of interest to the security services.

He was acquitted of a similar explosives charge in 1996 after a trial at Manchester Crown Court. Prosecutors claimed explosives were found at his home. But he was found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm, sentenced to four years in prison and banned for life from possessing a firearm.

In July last year he was arrested at Manchester airport for trying to board an aircraft with a pistol in his suitcase. He checked in with the component parts of a gas-powered pistol and primers in his luggage as he and his family were intending to fly to Dubai.He claimed that it was to be used for hunting and fishing, and was given a suspended sentence.

Dr Mostafa is known as a quiet, industrious professional man who advises companies how to transport dangerous materials safely. He is married with three children.

Ghulam Mostafa, his father, accounted for the apparent discovery of an “arms factory”. He said that his son had enjoyed a life-long interest in hunting and that he manufactured his own ammunition using spent cartridges and gunpowder. He urged his son overnight to hand himself over to the British High Commission. The family said they understood that he had been arrested.

Mr Mostafa, who arrived in Britain in 1964, said that the compound in Bhola was an orphanage where youngsters could receive a well-rounded education and could not be described as a madrassa. “My son is not a terrorist,” he said.

 

[Bhushan]

India has a huge threat in east. GOI should complete fencing of the border asap.

 

[TopCat]

India has a huge threat in east. GOI should complete fencing of the border asap.

There is nobody stopping you to do so if that helps. That is also good for BD as cross border crime smuggling terror and norcotics will go down for sure which crosses border everyday.

Thanks

 

[TopCat]

Regarding other posts you made did not contradict my earlier post as I said BD made significant progess. A lot of arms/explosives and terrorist were nabbed and neutralised before they gone into actions. We did not have a single incidence of terror in the last 3 years.
Regardin commerce minister.. he is just an IDIOT.
Thanks