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Bangladesh

3 Huji men held for CPB rally blast

2010-03-15

[Bangla Daily Star] Rapid Action Battalion yesterday arrested three suspected Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (Huji) members in connection with the bomb blasts that killed five people during a Communist Party of Bangladesh rally in 2001. Those arrested are Moulana Idris Ali, Moulana Abdul Latif and Sakhawat Hossain alias Dulal. Inspector Mrinal Kanti of the Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that Idris and Latif are suspects in the case. He said that Sakhawat will be questioned further to determine whether he is also an accused. Sakhawat and 11 other accused were previously cleared of involvement in the blasts when the former investigation officer submitted his final report. However Rab claims that the three men are Huji operatives and that they were accused in the case filed for the blasts went off on January 20, 2001 at Paltan Maidan in Dhaka that also wounded around 50 others. Sarwar Hossain, Sakhawat's brother-in-law, however claimed that Shakhawat was never involved with Huji. He also said his relative is the general secretary of Dhaka City CNG-Auto-rickshaw and Mishuk Sramik Union as well as publicity secretary of Bhashantek Punarbashan Prokalpa Sangram Parishad (BPPSP). Sakhawat was also the former secretary of Dhaka city's central committee of Jatiya Party (Manju's) labour front, the Jatiya Sramajibi Party. Mishuk Sramik Union President FA Khan Firoz, also adviser of Dhaka City CNG-Auto-rickshaw Union, said that a Rab team picked Sakhawat up on February 16 from Bhashantek. Firoz alleges that a developer of 'Bhashantek Rehabilitation Project' might influence Rab to arrest Shakhawat as he, under the banner of BPPSP, organised slum dwellers protesting their eviction from the project area by the developer. BPPSP leaders also brought the same allegation against the developer at a press conference in the city on March 3. The government awarded a work to the developer to construct flats for middle and lower income people after its decision in September 2003. A team from the Rab intelligence wing captured the three men during a five-hour raid from 12:30 am yesterday at Krishimarket, Town Hall and Dhaka Uddyan in Mohammadpur. Sources in Huji said that Idris was a member of Huji and Latif was a trainer of explosives of the banned militant organisation. The two men were previously arrested for their involvement in various deadly attacks. When they were released on bail they both absconded. Commander Sohail, legal and media wing director of Rab, told a press conference at its headquarters in Uttara that the three arrestees are number 2, 20 and 22 accused in the case, which has 24 suspects. Asked about Shakhawat, the Rab director said in primary interrogation Shakhawat admitted that he is a member of Huji. He also that now only Moulana Monir remains at large. Law enforcers started a fresh move to arrest all suspects accused of politically-motivated violence following instructions to do so from the home ministry. Detained Idris is a relative of detained Huji Dhaka City unit president Moulana Abu Taher and Moulana Tajuddin, who supplied grenades that were used in the attack on an Awami League rally on 21 August 2004. Idris is the brother-in-law of Arif Hasan Sumon, who is also an accused in the CPB blasts case. Following the bomb attack, CPB President Manjurul Ahsan Khan filed a case with Motijheel police station. A top Huji leader, Mufti Abdul Hannan, as well as several other members have been arrested for their involvement in the bomb blasts. Two Indian nationals and Lasker-e-Taiba members have also been arrested and are currently on remand for interrogation.

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Bangladesh

2 Huji men's bail cancelled

2009-09-10

[Bangla Daily Star] A Dhaka court yesterday cancelled bails of two Harkatul Jihad (Huji) members, granted earlier by another court, in one of the two August 21 grenade attack cases on grounds that the charges brought against them were heinous and unpardonable. Meantime, another Dhaka court yesterday fixed October 4 for hearing on the government petition seeking cancellation of bails granted to two Huji members in the other case. The Huji members are Munshi Mohibullah alias Mohibur Rahman, brother of Huji Chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, and Arif Hasan Sumon, who obtained bail from a speedy trial tribunal. Metropolitan Sessions Judge ANM Bashir Ullah issued the cancellation order after an hour-long hearing in presence of the two Huji members. In the order, the judge said the charges brought against the Huji members were heinous. They along with the other accused killed 23 people including Awami League leader Ivy Rahman, wife of President Zillur Rahman, and injured many others by blasting grenades at an AL rally. They had an intention to assassinate AL President Sheikh Hasina to create a void in the party and there was no alternative to cancellation of their bails granted earlier, the judge said. On August 12 this year, Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 Judge Masdar Hossain granted them bail saying they were not directly involved in the incident. The prosecution on August 17 submitted petitions seeking cancellation of the bails. Earlier, the same court on August 3 ordered a further probe into the cases after the prosecution submitted petitions seeking fresh investigation. Twenty-three people were killed and 300 others injured in the grenade attack on an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004. Two cases -- one for murder and the other for blasting grenades at the rally -- were filed following the incident. On June 11 last year, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) pressed charges against 22 people including Mufti Abdul Hannan, and former deputy minister and BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu. CID arrested Hannan, Pintu and 12 others who are in jail custody now. Pintu's brother Moulana Tajuddin and seven others have been absconding since the cases were filed. The murder case is pending with Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka.

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Bangladesh

Ex-Huji chief out on bail

2009-07-21

Maulana Sheikh Abdus Salam, former chief of banned militant outfit Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji) who was arrested in connection with the 2001 CPB rally blast case, was released on bail yesterday from Dhaka Central Jail. Jail officials said they received an order for his release Sunday from the Sessions Judge's Court, Dhaka, which issued the bail order. "Receiving the bail order, we reported it to different intelligence agencies for checking as Salam allegedly has links with a banned militant organisation. On receiving clearance from the intelligence agencies we released him around 3:00pm," Deputy Jailer Kamrul Islam told The Daily Star yesterday. Meanwhile, the home ministry yesterday ordered an intelligence agency to investigate the setting up of a charity called Faruqi Welfare Foundation by Huji. The foundation obtained a certificate from the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) on June 29 last year. Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder told The Daily Star yesterday, "We have asked the Special Branch of police to investigate the matter and report to the home ministry in details about the foundation and its activities." The instructions from the home ministry came a day after The Daily Star ran a report headlined "Huji managed even a charity licence" in its Sunday issue. Huji, which operates in the country under different other names to hide itself from intelligence watch, formed a political party named Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) in May last year with approval from the caretaker government. Salam is the convener of IDP that had applied to the Election Commission for registration in November, 2008 but was rejected. Two of Salam's party leaders, Abu Taher and Arif Hasan Sumon, are charge-sheeted accused in a case filed in connection with the grenade attack on an Awami League rally on August 21, 2004. They are now in jail. His two other party leaders Maulana Monir and Hafiz Idris, who were arrested for their involvement in various militant activities, have jumped bail. Three other leaders Maulana Sheikh Farid, Maulana Abdul Hye and Mufti Shafiqur Rahman are accused in the Ramna Batamul blast case and are now on the run. Members of an intelligence agency had picked up Sheikh Salam on March 23 at his home in Bashundhara Residential Area in connection with the CPB rally blast that killed five people at Paltan Maidan on January 20, 2001. The government outlawed Huji in October, 2005. The militant group carried out several bomb and grenade attacks between 1998 and 2004. It is also blacklisted by the US and the UK. Abdus Salam led a group of Afghan war returnees to launch Huji at a press conference at the National Press Club on April 30, 1992.

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Bangladesh

Aug 21 case goes to trial

2008-10-30

A Dhaka court yesterday finally framed charges against detained former BNP lawmaker Abdus Salam Pintu, Harkatul Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and 20 others in two cases filed for grenade attacks on an Awami League (AL) rally in August 2004. Judge Mohammad Masdar Hossain of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 also rejected the discharge petitions of Pintu, Hannan and 12 others in jail custody. The court fixed November 5 for trial of the cases--one for murder and another for bomb blast--and summoned the complainant to appear before it on that date. The grenade attacks on the AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004 left 24 people including Ivy Rahman, wife of acting AL President Zillur Rahman, killed and 200 others including AL chief Sheikh Hasina injured. Charges were framed in the cases after hearing had to be adjourned on nine consecutive dates following tie petitions from both the prosecution and defence. Both the cases were earlier shifted to the tribunal for quick disposal following a home ministry order. In the murder case, charges were framed against all the 22 accused under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (grievous hurt), 324 (causing hurt), 109 (abetment), 34 (criminal liability), 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of the Penal Code. Bomb blast charges were framed against them under sections 3, 4 and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act. The court charged Pintu also with approving the plan of the grenade attack prepared by Hannan and his accomplices. The former BNP lawmaker was also charged with assisting the Huji men with finances and administrative help and abetting them for killing and injuring the victims. Pintu, Hannan and 12 others, who are now in jail custody, pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after the charges were read out to them. Eight accused have been absconding. The 12 accused in jail are Hannan's brother Mohibullah alias Mafizur Rahman alias Ovi, Sharif Shahidul Islam alias Bipul, Maulana Abu Sayeed alias Dr Abu Zafar, Abul Kalam Azad alias Bulbul, Jahangir Alam, Maulana Abu Taher, Shahadatullah Jewel, Hossain Ahmed Tamim, Mufti Moinuddin Sheikh alias Abu Zandal alias Masum Billah, Arif Hasan Sumon, Rafiqul Islam Sabuj and Mohammad Ujjal alias Ratan. The eight absconding accused are Pintu's brothers Maulana Tajuddin and Maulana Liton, Anisul Mursalin and his brother Mahibul Muttakin, Iqbal, Maulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Howlader, Jahangir Alam Badar and Khalilur Rahman. Charges were framed against them in absentia and their trial will be continued in their absence. During the investigation of the cases, Hannan, Bipul, Ovi, Abu Sayeed, Bulbul, Arif Hossain, Jahangir and Sabuj gave statements under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) confessing their involvement in the grenade attack. Special Public Prosecutor Firoz Kamrul Hassan and advocates Syed Rezaur Rahman, M Sajwar Hossain and Saharar Khatun appeared for the state during yesterday's hearing. THE CASE The police filed the two cases with Motijheel Police Station a day after the grenade attack. On June 5 last year, Badar Aziz Uddin of Cox's Bazar filed another case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka, charging former premier Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami and 25 others with murder. However, the investigation officer of the case, Criminal Investigation Department Assistant Superintendent Fazlul Kabir, did not find any links of them to the incident. On June 11 this year, the investigation officer of the two cases submitted the charge sheets, accusing the 22 persons in each case. The charge sheets contain 42 pages each while the case dockets have more than 3,000 pages. A total of 408 persons, including Hasina and other top AL leaders, have been made prosecution witnesses in the cases. Besides, 69 types of evidence including Hasina's sports utility vehicle, the truck used as the makeshift podium at the rally, grenade splinters and blood stained clothes were submitted.

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Bangladesh

2 HUJI cases shifted to Speedy Trial Tribunal

2008-09-05

The two cases filed in connection with the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League (AL) rally in 2004 were transferred yesterday to a Speedy Trial Tribunal of Dhaka for quick disposal. The cases were filed for the grenade attacks on an the rally on Bangabandhu Avenue that left 23 people dead and around 200 others injured. The murder case is now pending with the Court of Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge and the grenade attack case with the Court of Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Dhaka. Following an order signed on August 26 by the home ministry, Judge Mohammad Azizul Haque of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court transferred the cases to the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 where Mohammad Masdar Hossain is the conducting judge. Earlier on August 31, the conducting judge fixed September 8 for hearing on charge framing against 22 accused including detained former BNP lawmaker Abdus Salam Pintu and Harkatul Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan in the grenade attack case. On the other hand, another Dhaka court the same day directed eight absconding Huji members including brothers of Pintu to appear before the court by September 21. Of the accused, Pintu, Mufti Hannan, his brother Mohibullah alias Mafizur Rahman alias Ovi, Sharif Shahidul Islam alias Bipul, Maulana Abu Sayeed alias Dr Abu Zafar, Abul Kalam Azad alias Bulbul, Jahangir Alam, Maulana Abu Taher, Shahadatullah Jewel, Hossain Ahmed Tamim, Mufti Moinuddin Sheikh alias Abu Zandal alias Masum Billah, Arif Hasan Sumon, Rafiqul Islam Sabuj and Mohammad Ujjal alias Ratan were earlier arrested and are now in jail custody. Pintu's brother Maulana Tajuddin, Maulana Liton, and Anisul Mursalin, Mahibul Muttakin, Iqbal, Maulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Howlader, Jahangir Alam Badar and Khalilur Rahman have been absconding since the cases were filed. Eight of the arrestees -- Hannan, Bipul, Ovi, Abu Sayeed, Bulbul, Arif Hossain, Jahangir and Sabuj -- gave statements under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code confessing their involvement in the incident. On June 11 this year, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Assistant Superintendent Fazlul Kabir, also investigation officer (IO) of the cases, submitted the charge sheets to the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka, showing 412 people as prosecution witnesses. A day after the grenade attack, the police filed two cases -- one for murder and another under the Explosive Substances Act -- with Motijheel Police Station.

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Bangladesh

Court raps cops for failure to arrest Huji men

2008-07-25

A Dhaka court yesterday expressed dissatisfaction over negligence in duties by police personnel in executing arrest warrants against seven absconding Harkatul Jihad (Huji) members accused in the August 21 grenade attack case. Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Azizul Haque asked the Public Prosecutor (PP) to take actions against the policemen who failed to comply with the court order. The court said it had issued arrest warrants against the absconding accused on June 23 and directed the authorities concerned to send copies of the arrest warrants to their addresses the same day. But the officers-in-charge (OC) of different police stations, who had been asked to return reports on arrest warrants to the court by yesterday, did not comply with the court order. The court also said the police submitted the charge sheet of the case after four years of the grenade attacks and have been trying to delay trial. Only Barisal Kotwali police submitted a report on the arrest warrant against Abu Bakar alias Hafez Selim mentioning that they could not arrest him. Meantime, the same court rejected the bail petitions of detained former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu and three Huji members, Arif Hasan Sumon, Jahangir Alam and Shahadat Ullah Jewel. Huji Chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and Sumon submitted petitions for retraction of their confessional statements saying that they were forced to give the statements. The court fixed August 10 for next hearing of the case and directed the OC of different police stations to submit reports on arrest warrants against the seven absconding accused on the scheduled date. The prosecution told the judge that they would try to make sure that police submit the reports in due time. Moving the bail petitions, the lawyers told the court that their clients were implicated in the case as part of a conspiracy to harass them. The prosecution said the petitions should be rejected as they had earlier confessed to their involvement in the incident. The case was filed for carrying out grenade attacks on an Awami League (AL) rally on August 21, 2004 that left 23 people dead and around 200 injured. Detained former lawmaker Pintu and other accused, who are in jail custody now, were produced before the court. The seven absconding accused are Pintu's brothers Maulana Tajuddin and Maulana Liton, Anisul Mursalin and his brother Mahibul Muttakin, Iqbal, Jahangir Alam Badar and Khalilur Rahman.

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Bangladesh

Arrest warrant issued against 8 Huji fugitives

2008-06-24

A Dhaka court yesterday issued arrest warrants against eight absconding Harkatul Jihad (Huji) members including Maulana Tajuddin, brother of detained former BNP lawmaker Abdus Salam Pintu, in the August 21 grenade attack case. Metropolitan Sessions Court Judge Mohammad Azizuz Haque accepted the charge sheet of the case and took the charges into cognisance for trial after examining all relevant documents. The court directed the authorities concerned to send copies of the arrest warrants to the addresses of the absconding accused. It also fixed July 24 for returning the arrest warrants to the court. Assistant superintendent of police of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Fazlul Kabir, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, was present at the court. The court on June 18 found flaws in the investigation of the case and asked the investigation officer (IO) to appear before the court yesterday and give explanation. The court also asked the IO to explain why he prayed for discharging four accused --Omar Faruk, Ferdous, Shuvo and Babu -- although the charges brought against them were found to be true. IO Fazlul Kabir told the court that he found involvement of the four with the grenade attacks on an Awami League rally, but he could not verify their real names and addresses. He said if he finds out their real names and addresses, he will submit a supplementary charge sheet against them. So, he prayed for dropping the charges against the four, the IO added. Earlier on June 11, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate AKM Enamul Haque accepted the charge sheet of the case against the 22 accused, including detained former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, in the second case filed in connection with the August 21 grenade attack on AL rally. The seven other absconding accused are Pintu's another brother Maulana Liton, Anisul Mursalin and his brother Mahibul Muttakin, Iqbal, Maulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Howlader, Jahangir Alam Badar and Khalilur Rahman. The IO on June 11 submitted the charge sheets of the cases against the accused to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court showing 408 people as prosecution witnesses. The accused who are behind bars now are Mufti Hannan, his brother Mohibullah alias Mafizur Rahman alias Ovi, Sharif Shahidul Islam alias Bipul, Maulana Abu Sayeed alias Dr Abu Zafar, Abul Kalam Azad alias Bulbul, Jahangir Alam, Maulana Abu Taher, Shahadatullah Jewel, Hossain Ahmed Tamim, Abdus Salam Pintu, Mufti Moinuddin Sheikh alias Abu Zandal alias Masum Billah, Arif Hasan Sumon, Rafiqul Islam Sabuj and Mohammad Ujjal alias Ratan. Eight of the arrestees -- Hannan, Bipul, Ovi, Abu Sayeed, Bulbul, Arif Hossain, Jahangir and Sabuj -- gave statements under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code admitting to their involvement with the incident. Police filed two cases with the Motijheel Police Station a day after 23 people were killed in a grenade attack on the Awami League rally on August 21, 2004. One case was filed on charges of murder while the other was filed under the Explosive Substances Act. Badar Aziz Uddin of Cox's Bazar filed another case with the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on June 5 last year against former premier Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman, Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami and 25 others on charges of murder. However, IO Fazlul Kabir did not find their involvement with the incident. The IO of the cases filed by the police submitted the charge sheets, accusing 22 people in each of the two cases. He prayed for dropping the charges against 30 other accused held in connection with the grenade attack, as their involvement with the incident was not found

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Bangladesh

CID permitted to take Huji man Sumon on remand

2008-05-09

A Dhaka court yesterday granted Criminal Investigation Department (CID) permission to take Harkatul Jihad (Huji) leader Arif Hasan Sumon on a five-day remand in connection with the CBP rally blast on July 20, 2001. CID inspector Delwar Hossain on May 6 implicated Suman in the case and prayed before the court for a 10-day remand. Suman is also an accused in the Ramna Batamul blast on April 14, 2004, in the August 21, 2004, and the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami league rally on Bangabandhu Avenue that killed 24 people and injured over 300 others. Suman has already confessed his involvement in the Ramna Batamul blast before the court. CID inspector Delwar Hossain who is also the investigation officer (IO) of the CPB rally blast case, told The Daily Star, “We take him into CID custody today or tomorrow for the interrogation.” Earlier, Huji boss Mufti Hannan, his brother Mohibullah alias Mofizur Rahman, another Huji leader Sharif Shahidul Alam alias Bipul and several others were also shown arrested in connection with the case. CID had earlier submitted the final report in the case on December 17, 2003, during the BNP-led four party alliance regime, saying that accurate, impartial and reliable evidence had not been found that could prove the charges against the arrestees.

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Bangladesh

Sumon carried bombs along with 3 other Huji men

2008-05-06

Detained Harkatul Jihad (Huji) leader Arif Hasan Sumon yesterday confessed to a court that he along with three other Huji members took four bombs to the Pahela Baishakh celebrations at Ramna Batamul on April 14, 2001 and detonated them remotely. After his five-day remand in two phases under Criminal Investigation Department's (CID) custody, he gave the confessional statement before Metropolitan Magistrate Waliul Islam between 2:30pm and 5:30pm yesterday. In the statement, he said he and three other Huji activists--Jewel, Sujan and Jony-- carried out the bomb attack at Ramna Batamul. He said three of the four bombs kept in a food containers exploded. The police later recovered the unexploded bomb. Sujan died in the blast since he failed to move away before the bombs were detonated. Jony had pressed the button of the remote. Sujan died in the blast since he failed to move away before the bombs were detonated, CID sources said quoting Sumon's statement. A CID source said, "In the two-page statement, Sumon said Jony had pressed the button of the remote." Sumon in the statement said Huji leaders Mufti Hannan, Abu Taher, Maulana Tajuddin and Abdur Rouf planned the attack and were present near Ramna Batamul when the bombs were detonated. Sumon also disclosed that they had visited the spot a day before the attack. Sumon is also an accused in a case filed in connection with the August 21, 2004 grenade attack on an Awami league rally on Bangabandhu Avenue. Earlier, detained Huji boss Mufti Hannan in his confessional statement said Sumon carried the bombs to Ramna Batamul.

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Bangladesh

Aug 21 attack was aimed at killing Hasina

2008-04-26

Harkat ul Jihad (Huji) leader Arif Hasan Sumon in his confessional statement yesterday said that they made the grenade attack on the Awami League rally on August 21 in 2004 for killing Awami League president Sheikh Hasina. But the attempt failed because of too much hurry, he said before a magistrate confessing to his involvement in the grenade attack that killed 24 people and injured 300 others. Huji leader Sumon, who was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on April 12 from his Mohammadpur residence, gave the confessional statement on the 12th day of his remand in phases. CID assistant superintendent of police Fazlul Kabir produced Suman before the court at noon where he gave the confessional statement before Chief Metropolitan magistrate Ismat Ara for about three hours. According to the court sources, Suman disclosed that he threw two grenades and one of it exploded. At least 12 people took part in the attack and after the incident, he left the scene by a bus. As their mission failed, Huji boss Mufti Hannan rebuked them for it, he added. Huji leader Suman also admitted that he had planted a bomb at the Ramna Batamul as part of their 'test case'. According to CID sources, before his arrest, he had planned to flee to South Africa where one of the masterminds of the attack Maulana Tajuddin is believed to be hiding. Checking two passports of Sumon, investigators found that he recently obtained visas for South Africa and Zimbabwe.

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