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Bangladesh
14 Huji men freshly indicted after revising charges
2014-09-15
[Dhaka Tribune] A Dhaka court has freshly indicted chief of banned Islamist outfit HuJI
Founded in 1984 by Fazlur Rehman Khalil and Qari Saifullah Aktar. The Bangla branch was established in 1992 with assistance from Osama bin Laden. Recruits come mostly from Deobandi madrassahs. HuJI and Fazlur Rehman Khalil are signators of bin Laden's declaration of war on the west.
Mufti Abdul Hannan and 13 others in the explosives case filed over blasting bombs during the Pahela Baishakh celebrations at Ramna Batamul in 2001.

Judge Shahed Nur Uddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal 1 reframed the charges yesterday following a prosecution petition.

In the petition filed on August 7, special public prosecutor Abu Abdullah Bhuiyan mentioned that the HuJI men had earlier been charged in the case under a wrong section of law.

After the framing of charges under sections 3 and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act, the court has fixed September 21 for further trial of the case.

So far, seven witnesses have testified in the case. The court said on September 21 it would decide on whether to recall the seven witnesses or continue deposition of the other witnesses.

On April 16, 2009, the then metropolitan sessions judge ANM Bashir Ullah framed the charges under section 26 of the Special Powers Act and section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act.

As per the two sections of the Explosive Substances Act, if found guilty, the accused would be handed down death penalty. Of the 14 accused, nine including Mufti Hannan are in jail while the rest on the run.

In the killing case lodged over the same incident, a Dhaka court on June 23 handed down death penalty to eight HuJI members, including Hannan, and sentenced six others to life imprisonment.

Later the prosecution filed a petition to reframe the charges upon a Supreme Court directive in the case which was sought in 2009.

Ten people were killed and scores injured in the blast on April 14, 2001 while cultural group Chhayanaut was performing at the Bangla year celebrations. Two cases were filed with the Ramna police -- one for murder and the other for possession and use of explosive substances.

The Criminal Investigation Department pressed charges on December 30, 2008 in both the cases. The other accused are Arif Hasan alias Suman alias Abdur Razzak, Maulana Akbar Hossain alias Helal Uddin, Alhaj Maulana Md Tajuddin (absconding), Hafez Jahangir Alam Badar (absconding), Maulana Abu Bakar alias Hafez Selim Hawlader (absconding), Mufti Shafiqur Rahman (absconding), Mufti Abdul Hye (absconding), Hafez Maulana Yahiya, Maulana Shawkat Osman alias Sheikh Farid, Maulana Sabbir alias Abdul Hannan, Maulana Abu Taher, Shahadat Ullah alias Jewel and Maulana Abdur Rouf.

Mufti Hannan is facing charges in 24 other cases. In his statement made on November 19, 2006, he said they had carried out the attack since the programme was "anti-Islamic."
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Bangladesh
Mufti Hanan to swing for Ramna Batamul killings
2014-06-24
[Dhaka Tribune] Chief of banned bad boy outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Mufti Abdul Hannan and seven of his aides have to walk the gallows for killing 10 people in a kaboom incident during the traditional celebrations of the Bangla New Year at the capital's Ramna Batamul in 2001.

For the same offence, six other HuJI
Founded in 1984 by Fazlur Rehman Khalil and Qari Saifullah Aktar. The Bangla branch was established in 1992 with assistance from Osama bin Laden. Recruits come mostly from Deobandi madrassahs. HuJI and Fazlur Rehman Khalil are signators of bin Laden's declaration of war on the west.
members were sentenced to life term imprisonment for conspiracy, plotting and carrying out the attack on commoners who were visiting the place to observe the day, 13 years back, on April 14.

Judge Ruhul Amin of the Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka read out the verdict in a jam-packed courtroom amid tight security measures yesterday morning.

The court also fined the 14 convicts Tk50,000 each.

Before reading out the sentences, the judge, in his observation, said the incident had no political link, and that the case was not a political one. Those who had died had gone to the place with their family members, kith and kin and children to celebrate the Bangla New Year. They were common people.

This celebration is not meant for any particular party, class, ideology, group or religion. That day, several thousand people of different religions, castes, groups, sexes and ages gathered at the venue.

The judge said from the confessional statements of the accused and depositions of witnesses, the court learned that two powerful bombs had been planted technically in the spot early in the morning, hours before the programme began.

According to bomb experts, two remote control devices were used to detonate the bombs.

The first bomb went kaboom! around 8:05am and the other 10-15 minutes later. Seven innocent people was struck down in his prime during the first kaboom and 20-25 people sustained injuries. Later three persons died at hospitals while undergoing treatment.

"The attackers did not target any certain person, object or group. The [organiser] Chhayanaut is also a non-political organization," the judge said.

"The motive of the attacks was to create political turmoil and panic, to pollute the cultural arena and stop cultural activities in the country. What the attackers and the planners did that day was heinous, barbaric and cruel. There is no scope to show sympathy or favour them," the court observed.

According to the accounts of the accused, there was no religious or social clash between the attackers and the victims. It was an attack on Bengali culture so that the people refrained from celebrating the day.

"It is one of the most heinous, barbaric and shameful attacks on general people since the country's War of Independence," the court said.

During the trial proceedings, six of the injured gave their depositions while eight more people who were present on the spot described the incident before the court. The other witnesses included eight relatives of the victims.

The court said the prosecution had succeeded in proving the charges against the accused based on the witness accounts and documents. Confessional statements of three accused, especially HuJI chief Mufti Hannan's statement, had helped the court to draw its conclusion. In his statement made on November 19, 2006, Hannan said they had carried out the attack since the programme was "anti-Islamic."

The death row convicts are Mufti Abdul Hannan Munshi alias Abul Kalam alias Abdul Mannan, Arif Hasan alias Suman alias Abdur Razzak, Maulana Akbar Hossain alias Helal Uddin, Alhaj Maulana Md Tajuddin (absconding), Hafez Jahangir Alam Badar (absconding), Maulana Abu Bakar alias Hafez Selim Hawlader (absconding), Mufti Shafiqur Rahman (Absconding) and Mufti Abdul Hye (absconding). Of them, Hannan, Akbar and Arif Hasan admitted their involvement in the incident. Later they submitted petitions to withdraw the statements, but those were rejected.

The lifers are Hafez Maulana Yahiya, Maulana Shawkat Osman alias Sheikh Farid, Maulana Sabbir alias Abdul Hannan, Maulana Abu Taher, Shahadat Ullah alias Jewel and Maulana Abdur Rouf. Hannan is facing 24 other cases.

The judge started reading out the verdict around 11:45am.

Nine HuJI men including Hannan were produced before the court around 10:50am. In the courtroom, they looked tensed and pale. Lifer Maulana Abu Taher cried after hearing the verdict.

'HuJI chief wanted no bloodshed'

In his confessional statement, Hannan said Hafej Abu Taher, who was the president of Ranangan Shilpi Gosthi, a cultural wing of HuJI, had met HuJI's former secretary Maulana Sheikh Farid in Dhaka. He proposed to Farid that they should launch a kaboom on the Bangla New Year ceremony to stop the programme.

"Sheikh Farid came to our city unit office, which was situated in the capital's Mohammadpur between the Shia Mosque and the Rahmania Madrasa. After a discussion among myself, Maulana Abdur Rouf, Yahiya Sabbir, Jahangir Badar, Abu Bakar and some others, Sheikh Farid asked Taher to launch the kaboom," Hannan said.

But at one stage of the discussion, the leaders at the meeting decided to consult the matter with HuJI chief Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, for approval. Farid, Abu Bakar and Jahangir went to Shafiqur's place to finalise the plan.

"After they came back, Farid told me that the chief had given his approval but had asked all to carry out the attack in a way so that no one was harmed."

The HuJI chief had instructed Sabbir and Jahangir to make the bombs. They were ordered to hand those over to Taher. The duo followed the instructions.

On the day of the incident, several HuJI men including Hasan and Omar Faruque (who used to introduce themselves as students of Dhaka College) planted the bombs.

Two cases — one for the killing and the other under the Explosive Substances Act — were filed with the Ramna cop shoppe.

On December 30, 2008, the Criminal Investigation Department pressed the charges against the 14 accused in both the cases. Earlier, the court recorded statements of 61 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case.

The case involving explosive substances has remained stuck till now. In 2009, the Speedy Trial Tribunal 1 of Dhaka sought the Supreme Court registrar's opinion on whether both the cases could be tried together. The registrar has yet to respond on the matter.

Hannan claims himself innocent

After the judge delivered the verdict, death row convict Hannan, who had appointed no lawyers to defend him, immediately told news hounds that he had not received justice. "I was a prey of political vengeance. The prosecution failed to prove the charges against me. I am innocent," he stated.

Abu Taher claimed that he had known nothing about the incident. "God will decide my fate on the day of final judgement," he said.

Additional public prosecutor SM Jahid Hossain said they were somewhat happy, mentioning, "The state will file an appeal with the High Court seeking death penalty for the six HuJI men who have been awarded life sentences." On the other hand, one of the defence lawyers Jasim Uddin said they would also appeal against the judgement.
Link


Bangladesh
Tarique not returning
2011-07-05
[Bangla Daily Star] Tarique Rahman, senior vice-chairman of BNP and son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia
Three-term PM of Bangla, widow of deceased dictator Ziaur Rahman, head of the Bangla Nationalist Party, an apparent magnet for corruption ...
, will not return home to defend himself in August 21 grenade attack cases, his counsel says.

The court on Sunday issued arrest warrant for Tarique and 17 others, all of whom are among the 30 charge-sheeted accused in the cases. Of the 18, former police chiefs--Ashraful Huda, Khoda Baksh Chowdhury and Shahudul Haque--yesterday surrendered before a Dhaka court that later sent them to jail.

Shahudul was the inspector general of police at the time of the attack that killed 24 and maimed 300 Awami League leaders and workers in 2004. Huda was the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner and Khoda Baksh the head of Criminal Investigation department; both later served as IGPs.

Surrendering before the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka in the morning, the trio sought bail in a case filed for killing of the 24 people. But the court rejected their plea. Now the 15, named in the supplementary charge sheets submitted by CID on Sunday, are runaways in the eyes of the law.

Tarique, who has been charged for plotting the gristly attack, has been living in London since he left the country with his family for medical treatment on September 11, 2008. He was jugged on March 7, 2007 on corruption charges during the military-backed caretaker government and was released on bail on September 3, 2008.

BNP leaders insist the government has falsely implicated Tarique in the grenade assault cases. Tarique's lawyer told The Daily Star that Tarique has no plan to appear before the court as there is no doubt that he will not get justice.

"Lower courts are controlled by ministers. The government already made the higher court partisan by appointing party men as judges. So he will not get justice," said Mahbubuddin Khokon, lawyer of Tarique.

Khokon, also the joint secretary general of BNP's central executive committee, said, "Tarique Rahman will go to the court only when he will be assured of justice."

Harris Chowdhury, another accused in August 21 cases and former political secretary to BNP chief Khaleda, has been disappeared since the emergency was imposed on January 11, 2007. Harris, also a former joint secretary general of the party, decamped the country long before the Fakhruddin Ahmed-led caretaker government assumed office on January 2007. He "mysteriously" left his palatial house in Gulshan with almost all his stuffs, even utensils, on December 28, 2006, his neighbours told The Daily Star.

Of the other new accused in the August 21 cases, BNP politician Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad is currently abroad, said intelligence sources.

An aide to the politician yesterday told The Daily Star that Kaikobad is in Soddy Arabia for treatment. Major Gen (retd) ATM Amin, a controversial former official of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), has long been out of the country, added the sources.

Amin was director (counter terrorism) of DGFI at the time of the attempt on Sheikh Hasina's life on August 21, 2004. His rank then was brigadier general. He continued at that post in DGFI for almost throughout the Fakhruddin Ahmed-led caretaker government rule. Towards the end, he was promoted to the rank of major general and appointed director general of Bangladesh Ansar. Amin emerged as one of the most powerful persons during the military-backed caretaker rule. It was learnt that he played a vital role in arresting the top politicians during the Fakhruddin rule and became a controversial figure. After coming to office in January 2009, the present government sent him back to the army from Ansar, and later the authorities fired him from the army.

Amin left the country some days after his dismissal from the services, said the intelligence sources.

Lt Col (sacked) Saiful Islam Joarder was an official of DGFI during the caretaker government rule. Law enforcement agencies found his involvement in the kaboom on ruling party politician Fazle Noor Taposh in 2009. Since then, he has been on the run. The authorities sacked him from the army for his links with the attack on Taposh.

Also, former police and CID officials Ruhul Amin, Munshi Atiqur Rahman and Abdur Rashid have been charge-sheeted in the August 21 cases.

Obaidur Rahman and Khan Sayeed Hassan, two other accused officials, are still in the police as officers on special duty.

Incumbent IGP Hassan Mahmood Khandker told The Daily Star that they would not go for any action regarding the two serving officials who stand accused in the August 21 cases.

Newly charge-sheeted hard boy operatives--Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye, Hafez Moulana Yahiya and Babu alias Ratul Babu--and Hanif Paribahan owner Mohammad Hanif are also absconding.

Police officials said some of the accused are holed up abroad. The law enforcers are trying to trace them--be they at home or abroad.

Former CID official Abdur Rashid last night told The Daily Star that he has been living in the country as usual.

"I am not a runaway, I appear before the court regularly in another case," he said expressing his surprise at the issuance of arrest warrant against him. He, however, would not say whether he would surrender to court.

Meanwhile,
...back at the pound, Zebulon finally found just the friend he'd been looking for...
a police official said Interpol would circulate notice across the globe to nab the runaways if the CID properly requests its Dhaka office for help to that end
Link


Bangladesh
Babar, Hannan charged with Kibria killing
2011-06-21
[Bangla Daily Star] Police on Monday pressed charges against 24 persons including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and Harkat-ul-Jihad (HuJI)
Founded in 1984 by Fazlur Rehman Khalil and Qari Saifullah Aktar. The Bangla branch was established in 1992 with assistance from Osama bin Laden. Recruits come mostly from Deobandi madrassahs. HuJI and Fazlur Rehman Khalil are signators of bin Laden's declaration of war on the west.
leader Mufti Abdul Hannan in former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria murder case.

Of the 24, 14 have been found to be involved in the gruesome liquidation in the fresh investigation.

They were spared in the previous probe conducted during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government regime, Rafiqul Islam, an additional superintendent of police and investigation officer of the case, told The Daily Star Monday. Though charges against the rest 10 could not be proved, their names were included in the charge sheet as those came up in a previous one, the IO added.

The charge sheet was ready for submission on May 25. But the Sherlocks deferred the submission due to Kibria's wife Asma Kibria's allegation that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police had spared the real culprits and criminal mastermind of the gruesome murder. Asked what changes came in the charge sheet he submitted Monday, the IO replied: "Nothing."

"I readied it a month ago. But the bigwigs took more time for a final check. Finding no mistake or flaw, they kept it unchanged and asked me to go ahead with it," Rafiqul Islam told the Daily Star. Rafiqul submitted the charge sheet before the court of Habjganj Judicial Magistrate Rajib Kumar Biswas.

Kibria, also a former Awami League politician from Habiganj, was killed in a grenade attack on a rally at Baidyer Bazar in Habiganj on January 27, 2005. His nephew Shah Manzur Huda, local AL leader Abdur Rahim, Abul Hossain and Siddique Ali were also killed in the attack.

CID official Rafiqul was tasked with a 'further investigation' into the grisly liquidation on May 6, 2007 weeks before the then Investigation officer, CID's SP Munshi Atiqur Rahman went on retirement.

Six years into the murder, the Sherlocks found Babar's involvement in the plot executed by hard boys, officials said.

Babar arranged sending abroad Moulana Tajuddin, an accused in the murder who is also the brother of former state minister Abdus Salam Pintu, using a fake name days after HuJI kingpin Mufti Hannan was nabbed by the law enforcers on October 1, 2005, the investigator said. An influential minister on the then government, Babar is now in jail in connection with several graft charges.

Rafiqul said banned hard boy organization HuJI was behind the attack.

"The killers were determined to carry out the liquidation as part of a plan to eliminate the AL leadership on the pretext that it was a pro-Indian political party," the IO said. The killers held several secret meetings in the capital and in Habiganj before embarking on the killing mission, he added.

Badrul Alam Mizan was caught from Habiganj town on a tip-off by Mufti Hannan on October 1, 2006, the IO said. Mizan also confessed that he had joined the attack on instruction from Mufti Hannan.

Apart from Babar, the 14 include HuJI kingpin Mufti Abdul Hannan, his brother Muhibbullah alias Muhibur Rahman alias Ovi, Moulana Tajuddin, Mufti Mainuddin Sheikh alias Abu Zandal and Indian national Abdul Aziz Butt alias Abdul Majed Butt. The others are HuJI operatives Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul, Hafez Syed Nayeem Ahmed Arif, Badrul Alam Mizan, Mizanur Rahman alias Mizan, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye, Mohammad Ali and Badrul Alam Badrul.

The killers were determined for killing the man under a plan to eliminate the AL, as it was a pro-Indian political party, the IO said, they held several secret meetings in the capital as well as in Habiganj before finishing the mission, he added.

On the 10 accused in the previous charge sheet, Rafiqul Islam told The Daily Star: "We did not find any evidence for the allegations brought against them. Now the trial court would look into the matter."

BACKGROUND
After the killing incident, Habiganj district AL organising secretary Abdul Mazid Khan (now a politician) filed two cases in this connection -- one for killing and the other for explosive substances -- with Habiganj Sadar Police Station the following day. The home ministry assigned CID's Munshi Atiqur Rahman as the IO of the two cases.

Meanwhile,
...back at the wrecked scow, a single surviver held tightly to the smashed prow...
a government formed a high-powered committee formed to probe the incident submitted its report in April 2005 accusing 10 people of Habiganj including some local BNP leaders and grassroots activists.

They are: district BNP Vice-president Abdul Quaiyum, Juba Dal leader Zainal Abedin Jalal, Zamir Ali, Tajul Islam, Zainal Abedin Mumin, Shahed Ali, Selim Ahmed, Ayat Ali, Muhibur Rahman and Kajol Miah. In his charge sheet submitted on March 10 the same year, the IO also accused the same 10 and his report was identical to that of the probe committee.

Receiving charge sheet, Sylhet divisional Speedy trial Tribunal Judge Biplab Goswami started trial through framing charges against 10 accused. But following appeal by the complainant, the High Court stayed the proceedings.

The complainant of the cases and Kibria family repeatedly expressed their 'no confidence' over the investigation and asked for further investigation.

Further investigation was during the 2007-2008 caretaker government regime following a court order.

All the 10 got release on bail during the army-backed caretaker government rule. One of them died that time.
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Bangladesh
It was LeTs grenade
2011-01-27
[Bangla Daily Star] Harkatul Jihad al Islami (HuJI
Founded in 1984 by Fazlur Rehman Khalil and Qari Saifullah Aktar. The Bangla branch was established in 1992 with assistance from Osama bin Laden. Recruits come mostly from Deobandi madrassahs. HuJI and Fazlur Rehman Khalil are signators of bin Laden's declaration of war on the west.
) used a grenade to kill Awami League leader SAMS Kibria in 2004 from a cache it was supposed to transport to India-administered Kashmire for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The LeT high-ups in Pakistain
The ones who reported directly to the ISI?
had sent the cache to Bangladesh to despatch it to their men in Kashmire through Satkhira border. But the HuJI did not dare to follow the instruction thanks to the Indian authorities' interception of the previous consignment.
*snicker* Wise decision.
The cache of 32 grenades, which the HuJI received in Chittagong, rested in Bangladesh for a while before those were used in different major attacks. The grenades were hurled at AL chief and then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina on August 21, 2004, the then British high commissioner Anwar Choudhury, AL leaders Suranjit Sengupta, Syeda Jebunnesa Haq, and Badruddin Ahmed Kamran, also mayor of Sylhet.
No doubt the ISI approved of the mayhem, afterward.
The revelation came six years into the sensational killing of former finance minister Kibria at an AL rally in Baidder Bazar in Habiganj.

Talking to The Daily Star, sources involved in the investigation said this major finding could lead to arrest of those criminal masterminding the murder.

Rafiqul Islam of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) who is tasked with carrying out an additional investigation into the killing, said, "We now know who supplied the grenades and who received those in Bangladesh."

But he would not identify by name the HuJI men who were directly involved in the incident.

Sources say Mozaffar Shah, leader of the Kashmire-based LeT, sent the grenades to Chittagong through a ship from Pakistain.

"Majid Butt and Moulana Tajuddin were responsible for receiving those in Chittagong and transport the lot to the capital," says a source.

Abdul Majid Butt, who also used the name Yusuf Butt,
A wise decision.
is an Indian national and senior leader of Kashmire-based Islamic exemplar organisation Hizbul Mujahideen. He had been staying in Bangladesh for long using different names to hide his identity. He married a woman from Pabna and was staying in different parts of the country including Dhaka.

Law enforcers jugged Majid with firearms in the capital's Uttara on January 7, 2009. His identity as a Islamic exemplar operative in disguise was revealed in an investigation that ended by the yearend.

Moulana Tajuddin is the brother of Abdus Salam Pintu, BNP leader and former deputy minister of BNP-Jamaat-led four-party alliance government. A leader of the HuJI, Tajuddin went into hiding after the August 21 grenade attack.

LeT, Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad are linked with an alliance operating in India-administered Kashmire. HuJI is the local controller for smuggling firearms, ammunition and explosives there through Bangladesh.

"The Indian Border Security Force intercepted a consignment of firearms and explosives during such an attempt by the end of 2003 or beginning of 2004. This shook the HuJI men in Bangladesh," adds the source.

As a result, the HuJI men stopped transporting the 32 grenades and kept those in Bangladesh, the source continues.

"Moulana Tajuddin brought those to Dhaka with the help of Butt."

Of the grenades, nine were sent to HuJI men in Sylhet region for use in different attacks on AL leaders and the then British high commissioner.

Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul, a leader of HuJI's Sylhet region who received the grenades and distributed those as per their "needs", kept one to kill SAMS Kibria, say sources.

"Instructed by Bipul, one Nayeem Ahmed Arif alias Limu gave the grenade to Badrul Alam Mizan to execute Kibria killing plan on January 27, 2005," another source says.

Mizan had Mizanur Rahman Mithu, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Badrul with him during the operation, the source adds.

Splitting in two groups, Mizan and Mohammad Ali were riding on a cycle of violence, while the rest took an auto-rickshaw to reach Baidder Bazar where Kibria, also the politician elected from the constituency, was attending a programme as the chief guest.

"Though assigned to throw the grenade, Mohammad Ali got nervous and asked Mizan to do it. Well-trained in handling explosives, Mizan carried out the mission successfully," says the source.

Talking on the motive of the killing, sources quoted nabbed HuJI leader Mufti Abdul Hannan as saying that the HuJI Majlish-e-Shura was of the view that the AL is an anti-Islam and pro-Indian political party that needed to be eliminated.

"This viewpoint led Bipul to design several plans to attack AL leaders in Sylhet region," the source adds.

Well-placed sources say many leaders of the then government were fully aware of the HuJI activities. Instead of taking any steps against it, they kept mum encouraging HuJI men to continue with their plans.

"Though several such instances have been found in our probe, we don't have enough hard evidence to officially bring charges against them," comments an investigator.

Only Lutfozzaman Babar, former state minister for home, has been shown jugged in connection with the Kibria murder. His name might also come in the charge sheet, adds the source.

"What we have learned about Babar so far regarding his involvement is that he helped Moulana Tajuddin escape to Pakistain," said investigation officer (IO) Rafiqul Islam.

After his detention by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence in 2005, Tajuddin revealed information about all the attacks including smuggling of firearms and explosives. Accordingly, the DGFI men conveyed the information to the government high-ups including Babar.

Babar later arranged a safe passage for Tajuddin to Pakistain.

"Being the state minister for home, Babar helped Tajuddin escape and diverted the course of investigation. We're now examining whether his role allows us to accuse him officially in the charge sheet," the IO added.

The sources say Sherlocks have so far identified 15 HuJI men and Babar against who they can press charges.

The CID and the government officials concerned are now scrutinising the draft of the additional probe report.

Nine out of the 16 accused are behind the bars now. They are Babar, Mufti Hannan, Abu Zandal, Mohibullah Ovi, Bipul, Limu, Badrul Alam Mizan, Mizanur Rahman Mithu and Majid Butt. The runaways are Tajuddin, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Badrul, Mufti Abdul Hye, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman and Yusuf bin Sharif.

Ahsanullah Kajal, who was jugged in India, died there.

During the BNP-Jamaat rule, the Sherlocks pressed charges against 10 local leaders of BNP and its front organisations.

Kibria's family and complainant of the case advocate Abdul Mazid Khan, MP, did not accept that charge sheet. The caretaker government later ordered an additional probe into the killing.

Asma Kibria, widow of Kibria, said she has no idea what is coming up in the investigation.

"What I know is from newspaper reports. And I am not satisfied because I thought the Awami League government could expedite the process and take shorter period of time," she told The Daily Star.

"We are disappointed. If the party my husband worked for, which is now in power, fails to punish the killers, we don't see any slightest possibility of justice in future.

"Not because that my husband was a leader of Awami League, I have the right to get justice as a common citizen of the country," she added.

Asma Kibria thinks some of the then government assisted the HuJI men in killing SAMS Kibria. "Those criminal masterminds have to be identified and punished duly," she added.
Link


Bangladesh
Cops hunt for 40 Huji operatives
2010-01-20
[Bangla Daily Star] Around 40 operatives of outlawed Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (Huji) including convicted and charge-sheeted accused of different bomb attack cases are still on the run, posing a threat to the country.

Some of the absconding militants are holding secret meetings and were even training up members at a secluded place in Mohammadpur in the capital a few months ago.

However, the militants cancelled the training and abandoned the area after different intelligence and law-enforcement agencies started a hunt for them months after the present government assumed power, intelligence and Huji sources say.

The absconding Huji leaders include some of the top brasses like Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Sheikh Farid, Maulana Abu Bakar, Abdul Hannan Sabbir, Maulana Liton, Abdul Hye, Abu Jehad, Abu Musa, Abdullah, Sagir Bin Emdad, Maulana Monir, Maulana Masum and Golam Mostafa.

Most of them have training on sophisticated weapons and grenades.

Sources in the law-enforcement agencies believe the militants responsible for deadly bomb and grenade attacks and death of over 90 people since 1999 are still a threat.

However, top officials from Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and Detective Branch (DB) say since the absconding militants are on the run, possibility of any attack by them is very slim.

"There is little chance of any attack by Huji men since we are always after them," Rab Director General Hassan Mahmood Khandkar told The Daily Star recently.

DB Deputy Commissioner Monirul Islam also expressed similar view on the issue.

The Rab DG said they have lists of the members of not only Huji but also other militant outfits including banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and are always after them.

Some Afghan war veterans launched the Bangladesh chapter of Huji on April 30, 1992 with an aim to establish Islamic rule in the country. Since then it spread its tentacles across the country until 1996 with the very knowledge of the then government.

After the political changeover in 2001 Huji again started its activities which were an open secret to the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance government.

Probes into the August 21 attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's [then main opposition leader] life have already revealed involvement of former deputy minister of BNP government Abdus Salam Pintu and a number of Huji leaders.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is now carrying out further investigation into the cases and has already arrested BNP leader and former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and Huji founder Sheikh Abdus Salam.

The sources say an influential intelligence agency helped Maulana Tajuddin, who supplied grenades for the August 21 attacks, flee the country.

The sources add the agency in October 2004 also helped Hafez Jahangir Badar flee to Saudi Arabia where he became a major source of Huji funding later.

Some Huji kingpins including the outfit's founders Sheikh Abdus Salam and Shawkat Osman alias Sheikh Farid even used to meet a section of officials of that intelligence agency during the BNP-Jamaat rule and even during the immediate past caretaker rule, say the sources.

Salam, arrested in November last year in connection with the August 21 carnage, claimed he had maintained connection with the agency and tried to form Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) with its consent during the caretaker regime.

Some 475 Afghan war veterans joined the IDP, sources say.

The attacks by Huji include the August 21 carnage in 2004, Ramna Batamul blast in 2001, Udichi blast in 1999, Narayanganj Awami League office blast in 2001, CPB rally blast at Paltan Maidan in 2001, and attempt on the then British high commissioner in 2004.

The sources say intelligence agencies launched raids on Huji hideouts to trap militant leaders including Shawkat Osman alias Sheikh Farid in vain in recent months.

Two of the Huji absconders -- Anisul Mursalin and Muhibul Mottakin -- are now in Tihar Jail in India after they were arrested by the Indian security forces in 2006.
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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
Fresh probe yet to start; CID awaits ministry step
2009-05-05
[Bangla Daily Star] An official move to reinvestigate the deadly attack on an Udichi programme in Jessore is yet to be made, although detained militant linchpin Mufti Abdul Hannan admitted Harkatul Jihad al Islami's (Huji) involvement in it.

Officials in Criminal Investigation Department (CID) say they have written to the law ministry a couple of days ago seeking steps to obtain a court order for fresh investigation.

Ten people were killed and over 100 injured in that grisly attack on March 6, 1999.

"We're already unofficially carrying out investigation into the mayhem and waiting for the court permission," says a top CID official asking not to be identified.

CID ASP in Jessore Abdul Quyyum Sikder told The Daily Star yesterday they have started collecting witnesses' accounts and already shown Hannan arrested in the case.

The CID sources add they need court permission for fresh investigation as the Jessore Special Court acquitted all the accused in the two cases on June 28, 2006.

Huji operations commander Mufti Hannan in his confessional statement also revealed he and 14 Huji men were involved in plotting and executing the Udichi blasts.

On March 7, 1999, the then sub-inspector Abdul Aziz filed two cases -- one under Section 302 of Bangladesh Penal Code for murder and another under the Explosive Substances Act -- with Jessore Kotwali Police Station without naming anyone.

After investigation, the then ASP of Jessore CID Dulal Uddin Akand pressed charges on December 14, 1999 against 24 people including BNP leader and former minister Tariqul Islam.

Tariqul was exempted from the charges by the Supreme Court on August 12, 2003 after hearing of his leave-to-appeal petition, while the rest 23 were acquitted in the verdict by the Jessore court.

The judge while delivering the verdict made his observation that stern action must be taken against the investigation officer for submitting a motivated and weak charge sheet devoid of evidence required for punishment of the accused.

Jessore District Udichi General Secretary Shaheeduzzaman said CID has already talked to them as part of their fresh initiative to reinvestigate the case.

Asked to comment about acquittal of all accused, he said, "We want detection and punishment of those who were really involved."

HANNAN'S STATEMENT ON UDICHI BLAST

The Huji leader said they chalked out the plan for the attack at their Mohammadpur office in 1999.

Among others, Abdur Rouf (Madaripur), Hafez Jahangir Badar (Dohar), Yahia (Sylhet), Abu Bakar (Sylhet), and Maolana Sabbir (Bogra) were present at the meeting.

The meeting decided to stop the "naked musical performances" of Udichi even if it were to take a huge effort and conveyed the decision to the organisation's Amir Mufti Shafiqur Rahman.

They said they had learned from the media that Udichi was going to arrange about a month-long programme in Jessore.

Informed of the decision at Mugda office, Shafiqur directed Maolana Abu Bakar, Abu Musa and Sabbir to visit the area and report to him.

After the team returned from the field inspection, he assigned Sabbir and Musa to make some bombs and use those at the venue of Udichi programme.

Following a call from Rouf, Hannan went to Jessore on March 5 and stayed at Khurshidia Madrasa. Later, Musa along with Rouf and Sabbir went there and informed Hannan that the bombs were kept at madrasa teacher Samsul Haq's house.

For planting the bombs, they brought Abdullah, aged about 17, from Chittagong and Waliur, 20, from Jessore. The two did their parts on orders of Rouf.

The bombs went off between 12:30pm and 1:00pm, killing 10 people and injuring over 100.

Hannan said he returned to Magura after handing the bombs over to Rouf, Waliur and Abdullah.
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Bangladesh
Huji man on 4-day remand
2009-03-25
Maulana Sheikh Abdus Salam, a founding member of Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji) and the ameer of Islamic Democratic Party (IDP), was taken on a four-day remand yesterday in connection with the bomb attack on a CPB rally on January 20 in 2001 that killed five people.

He was arrested by the intelligence on Monday at his home in Bashundhara Residential area.

CID inspector Matiar Rahman produced him before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court yesterday seeking remand for seven days and the court granted four days.

According to CID sources, six others were placed on remand this month in connection with blast at the CPB rally at Paltan Maidan.

Salam went to Afghanistan in the early 80s and returned in 1989. He studied in Kowmi madrasa in Bangladesh and also in Pakistan.

The government banned the organisation in October 2005 and the USA blacklisted it in June last year. IDP also applied to the Election Commission (EC) for registration in November 2008 but the EC rejected its application.

According to sources, two of Salam's party leaders, Maulana Abu Taher and Arif Hasan, are accused in a case filed in connection with the grenade attack on an Awami League (AL) rally on August 21, 2004. They are now in jail.

Two other Huji leaders Maulana Monir and Hafiz Idris, arrested for their involvement in various militant activities, have jumped bail.

Three Huji other leaders Maulana Sheikh Farid, Maulana Abdul Hai and Mufti Shafiqur Rahman are accused in the Ramna batamul blast case and are absconding.
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Bangladesh
Mufti Hannan, 13 other Huji men charged
2008-12-01
Over seven and a half years after the Ramna Batamul blast, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday pressed charges against 14 operatives of banned Islamist outfit Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (Huji) in two cases filed for the carnage.

CID Inspector Abu Hena Mohammad Yusuf, investigation officer (IO) in both cases, submitted the charge sheets before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka.

The bloodbath that took place during Pahela Baishakh celebrations on April 14, 2001 left 10 people dead and scores injured.

Of the cases filed with Ramna Police Station, one was for murder and the other for possession and use of explosive substances. At a press briefing following the submission of charge sheets, CID chief Additional Inspector General Mohammad Javed Patwari said some 22 Huji members were directly involved in the blast. But charges have been pressed against 14 as addresses of the remaining eight were not found. A supplementary charge sheet, he added, would be submitted against the eight after getting their full addresses.

The charge-sheeted accused are Mufti Abdul Hannan Munshi alias Abul Kalam, Arif Hasan Suman alias Abdur Razzak, Moulana Akbar Hossain alias Helaluddin, Shahadat Ullah alias Jewel, Moulana Abu Taher, Moulana Abdur Rauf, Moulana Mohammad Tajuddin, Moulana Abdul Hannan Sabbir, Moulana Shawkat Osman alias Sheikh Farid, Hafez Jahangir Alam Badar, Moulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Hawlader, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Moulana Yahiya and Mufti Abdul Hye.

Of them, Hannan, Suman, Akbar, Jewel, Abu Taher and Rauf are behind bars and the others are still at large.

CID sources said the six Huji detainees stand accused in some other blast cases as well. Akbar, Mufti Hannan and Jewel have confessed to a court their involvement in the attacks including the August 21 grenade blasts on an Awami League rally.

The additional inspector general said the Huji members had planned the attack at their headquarters and Saat Gambuz Mosque, both located in the city's Mohammadpur area.

Suman, Jewel, Johnny and Sujan carried the bombs to Ramna Park that day. Posing as decorators, they entered through the gate adjacent to the National Tennis Complex at around 4:00am. Johnny detonated the bomb by remote control.

The CID chief said Ramna Batamul, where people pour in to celebrate the Bengali New Year, had been chosen as the target because the Huji considers Pahela Boishakh revels anti-Islamic.

The bombs were supplied by Moulana Tajuddin. Former deputy minister and BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu's younger brother, he also supplied grenades for the August 21 grenade attack.
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Bangladesh
Charge sheets in 2 cases likely tomorrow
2008-11-29
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is likely to submit tomorrow the charge sheets of the two cases connected with the bomb attacks at Ramna Batamul accusing 14 leaders and activists of Harkatul Jihad (Huji).

CID Chief Additional Inspector General Jabed Patwari Thursday said, "All formalities have been completed and we are prepared to submit the charge sheets on Sunday."

The home ministry has given the CID green signal for submitting the charge sheets, he told The Daily Star in reply to a question. The ministry is aware of the progress of investigation as the cases are under the supervision of its monitoring cell, he added.

CID sources said on public prosecutor's suggestion the investigation officer collected video footage of the incident on April 14, 2001, which killed 10 persons and injured a number of others.

Investigation officer CID Inspector Abu Hena Mohammad Yusuf declined to make any comment. But the CID sources confirmed that two charge sheets have been readied: the charge sheet for the murder case contains over 650 pages and that for the case filed under the Explosives Act has about 550 pages.

They said 24 Huji men carried out the attacks but 14 have been named in the charge sheets as investigators could not collect details of the rest. They, however, identified one as Suman who died in the blast.

The accused Huji men are Mufti Hannan, Mufti Abdur Rouf, Hafez Maulana Abu Taher, Arif Hasan alias Suman, Shahadat Ullah alias Jewel, Sheikh Farid alias Rahmat Ullah alias Shawkat Osman, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Hafez Maulana Yiahia, Mufti Abdul Hai alias Abu Naim, Maulana Tajuddin, Jahangir Badar, Abdul Hannan, Hafez Abu Bakkar and Maulana Akbar Hossain.

CID sources said they so far arrested 25 suspects. Of them Mufti Hannan, Mamun-ur-Rashid, Mozahar Naim Hossain alias Mahmud, Habibullah Mizan, Badrul Alam Mizan, Hafiz Syed Nadim Sharif, Oliar Rahman, Mahmudur Rahman Babu, Arif Hasan Suman, Oli Ullah, Abdul Latif and Abdur Rouf are now in jail.

Twelve others--Rezaul Islam, Matiur Rahman, Mostafizur Rahman, Habibur Rahman, Abdul Awal, Enayet Ullah, Abdullah Al Mamun, Ibrahim Khalil, Maulana Akbar Hossain, Rafiqul Islam, Yasin and Oliar Rahman--are on bail while the other--Mizanur Rahman--has been absconding since obtaining bail.

The arrested also face charges of other bomb attacks, including the August 21 attack on an Awami League rally. Maulana Akbar Hossain, Mufti Hannan and Jewel confessed before the court their involvement in the attacks.

Investigation sources said detained former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu's brother fugitive Maulana Tajuddin, who is an accused in the August 21 grenade attack case also, supplied the bombs for the attacks. Pintu is also an accused in the August 21 bomb attack case.
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Bangladesh
Huji carried out major grenade attacks
2006-11-20
Harkatul Jihad (Huji) leader Mufti Abdul Hannan yesterday confessed to plotting and leading several gruesome grenade attacks, including those on the Udichi programme in Jessore, Ramna Batamul, and the British high commissioner in Sylhet. The Huji leader also admitted to planting a 76kg bomb at Kotalipara in Gopalganj near the meeting venue of the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, attacking on the Sylhet City Corporation mayor on December 2, 2005, a rally of Awami League (AL) leader Suranjit Sengupta in Sunamganj on July 21, 2001, and AL leader Jebunnesa in Sylhet.

Metropolitan Magistrate Shafique Anwar recorded Hannan's statement for about six hours from 2:00pm. Hannan gave the confessional statements after he was interrogated on remand for 170 days. Court sources said Hannan admitted that he himself led the bomb attack from the front at the Udichi cultural programme in Jessore on March 6, 1999 and planted the 76kg bomb at Kotalipara on July 20, 2000. The attack on the British high commissioner was carried out on May 21, 2004. He said seven Huji operatives, including two Dhaka College students--Hasan and Omar Faruq, carried out the attack on the Pahela Baishakh function at Ramna Batamul. The other attackers were Abu Taher, Sheikh Farid, Abu Bakar, Yeahia and Abdul Hye.

Hannan told the magistrate that the grenades were smuggled into Bangladesh and that one Tajuddin, owner of a wire factory at Chakbazar in Old Dhaka, used to supply the grenades and bombs. According to his statement, three Huji operatives were given the responsibility to collect funds for the attacks. They are Saudi expatriate Yunus bin Sharif of Chittagong, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman of Bhairab, and Abdul Hye Arabi of Comilla. Hannan also said they exploded 32 grenades in the attacks and smuggled out a similar number of grenades to India for attacks in Kolkata at different times.

The Huji leader said they established the Harkatul Jihad in 1989-90 and his leader was Abdur Rahman Faruqui who died during the Afghan war. Hannan said he ordered to attack the Udichi cultural function and that at Ramna Batamul because the programmes were anti-Islamic.
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