Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested three suspected members of new militant outfit ‘Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya’, from Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban and Kadamtoli area in Dhaka.
The arrestees were Kabir Ahmed, 50, arms supplier, Yeasin, 40, an aide of Shamim Mahfuz, a mastermind of the new militant group and trainer and Abdur Rahman Imran.
Kabir Ahmed was arrested from Bandarban and the rest were arrested from Dhaka based on information given by Kabir.
The members of the new militant outfit used local and foreign made firearms during their training, said DMP’s Additional Police Commissioner Md Asaduzzaman, also CTTC chief at a press briefing held at DMP media centre on Monday.
Police also seized three locally made arms, six guns, 11 bullets, lead, acid, gun powder, octane and other chemicals from their possession, said Asaduzzaman.
The CTTC unit conducted the drives based on the information gleaned from two members of the new militant group–Saiful Islam Tuhin and Naim Hossain, who were arrested from the hill districts of Chattogram on December 21, he said.
After interrogation, police identified Kabir as the main arms supplier and arrested him from Bandarban district.
Following interrogation, they seized the arms and ammunition from two plastic drums, digging soil in a hilly area of Bandarban, said the CTTC chief.
During interrogation, Kabir confessed to police that that he was the main arms supplier the militant outfit and he planned to supply the arms seized during the drive to some extremists, he said.
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Mahfuz contacted Kabir several times for arms for providing training to the militants, he said.
Meanwhile, the team conducted another drive in Kadamtoli area of the capital and arrested two more members of the outfit, he added.
It is known that, Yeasin and Rahman were two active members of the outfit and close aide of Mahfuz and through Rahman Mahfuz used to run his financial activities, said Asaduzzaman.
Replying a question, Asaduzzaman said they are working for those who have fled their houses and it is still not clear yet how many members are there in the militant outfit.
A case was filed under Anti-terrorism Act with Demra Police Station and remand will be sought for the arrestees after producing them before the court, he said.
From October 10, law enforcement agencies started a joint drive against the underground extremists and criminals in the district.
Source: United News of Bangladesh