Top leaders of Ansar al-Islam behind militants snatching: CTTC chief

The two death row convict militants were snatched from police custody on the Dhaka court premises at the instruction of the top leaders of banned militant outfit Ansar al-Islam.

Additional Commissioner Md Asaduzzaman, Chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) of Dhaka Metropolitan police (DMP), said this at a press briefing at the DMP media centre on Thursday noon.

On Wednesday, CTTC arrested Mehdi Hasan Omi alias Rafi, 24, a member of the military wing of Ansar al-Islam, who was involved in the snatching of two convicted militants.

Rafi is also an accused in the case which was filed with Kotwali police station in connection with the incident.

Rafi used to recruit members in the ‘Askari’ wing of the banned militant outfit in coordination with sacked army major Syed Ziaul Haque alias Major Zia, said the CTTC chief.

Rafi led his team in the militants snatching, he said adding that three cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act were filed with Dhaka's Mohammadpur, Sutrapur and Badda Police Stations against Rafi for his involvement in anti-state and anti-government activities in 2016.

Besides, two more cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act were filed with Sylhet Kotwali Police Station in 2010 and 2012.

Rafi used to communicate with other accused during his regular appearance in the court during trial of terrorism cases and informed them about the plan of their group, said the top officer.

On November 20, Rafi, as per the group’s plan, led from the front in the snatching of the militants, who were sentenced to death in publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan murder case, from the CMM court premises in Dhaka after spraying pepper on the faces of the policemen, he added.

The escapees are Ansar al-Islam members Md Abu Siddique Sohel alias Sakib alias Sajid alias Shahab and Moinul Hasan Shamim alias Samir alias Sifat alias Imran.

Police filed a case against 20 people in this connection. A five-member probe body was also formed by the Bangladesh Police on the same day and it was asked to submit its report within three working days.

Source: UNB