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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

Huji leader Farid on 5-day remand

2011-05-11

[Bangla Daily Star] A Dhaka court on Tuesday placed Sheikh Farid, a leader of banned 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. on a five-day remand in a case filed for kaboom on a Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) rally in 2001. Metropolitan Magistrate Keshab Roy Chowdhury passed the order after Inspector of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Mrinal Kanti Saha, also the Investigation Officer (IO) of the case, produced him before the court with a 10-day remand prayer. He was produced before it on completion of his four-day remand in connection with the August 21 grenade attack case on an Awami League rally in 2004. Farid was shown nabbed in the case on April 28 for his allege involvement with the incident. In the remand prayer, the IO mentioned that another HuJI leader Abu Zandal in a statement given on October 10, 2010 Farid was involved with the kabooms that took place on January 20, 2001. So, he needs to be remanded to gather name, addresses and seize evidences of the other attackers.

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Bangladesh

32 LeT grenades let terror loose

2011-01-28

[Bangla Daily Star] Most of the 32 Arges grenades sent to 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. -Bangladesh by Pakistain-based krazed killer outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were used in at least seven major terror attacks in 2004-05. Of the attacks, six targeted the leaders of the then opposition Awami League, and the other was on then British high commissioner Anwar Choudhury. In carrying out the blasts, Harkatul Jihad al Islami had been aided by a powerful quarter, some of who were in state power. Investigators unearthed these while trying to get to the source of the grenade used in the killing of AL leader and former finance minister SAMS Kibria. They say their findings would help unravel the mystery behind other similar attacks. "Any findings in the probe into a terror attack in the last decade have got to give clues to the other attacks, as it was the same group that used the same weapons to kill members of the same political party," says an official asking not to be named. Investigation sources say 21 grenades of the consignment from LeT were used in seven attacks between May 2004 and December 2005. Of those, 12 were dispatched to be used in the August 21 blasts and nine in six attacks in Sylhet region including Kibria killing. Of the nine grenades for Sylhet, two were used in the attack on a rally of AL policymaker Suranjit Sengupta--one went off and the other was thrown into a water body by the fleeing HuJI men. AL leader and Sylhet Mayor Badruddin Ahmed Kamran came under attack twice. On one occasion, he narrowly beat feet death and on the other, the grenade did not go off. One each was used in the attacks on Kibria, Anwar Choudhury and incumbent AL politician Syeda Jebunnessa Haque. The Sherlocks have yet to trace the remaining two of the nine. The seven attacks killed 34 and injured over 400. Twenty-four AL leaders and workers were killed and over 200 injured in the August 21 attack on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital; five were killed and 70 injured in the attack on Kibria; one was killed and over 30 were maimed in the attack on Suranjit; one was killed and over 30 were maimed in the attack on the Sylhet mayor; at least eight were maimed in the attack on Syeda Jebunnessa Haque; and three were killed and 70 injured in the attack on the Bangladesh-born British high commissioner at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal(RA). The Sherlocks say some other Arges grenades of the LeT cache have been recovered by law enforcement agencies from different places including Narsingdi and Satkhira. HuJI started using grenades in their attacks since 2004. Earlier, it used locally-made bombs. The sources say the krazed killer group's high command had decided to eliminate the top Awami League leaders, as it considered the party to be anti-Islam and pro-Indian. Anwar Choudhury had been targeted, as he too was considered an enemy by HuJI. Several HuJI men have been convicted in the Anwar Choudhury attack case. The outfit's chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul and Delwar Hossain alias Ripon were sentenced to death, while Hannan's brother Muhibullah alias Muhibur Rahman alias Ovi and Mufti Main Uddin alias Abu Zandal were awarded life imprisonment. Hannan, Bipul, Ovi and Zandal were involved in the attack on Kibria and would be accused in the supplementary charge sheet, Sherlocks say. Trial of the case for the attack on Suranjit had started in Sunamganj, but a Sylhet court last year sent it for further investigation following a prayer from the prosecution. Most of the grenade attack cases are now under investigation. During the BNP-Jamaat alliance rule or even during the two-year caretaker government rule, investigations into the attacks could not detect the source of the grenades. The probes were politicised during the BNP-Jamaat rule. Some of those did not progress for dillydallying tactics, while others were diverted to save the real culprits, says an investigator. Following an application from the prosecution in 2009, the court ordered Criminal Investigation Department to go for further investigation to reveal the source of the grenades used in the August 21 attack. The Sherlocks say analysis of the grenade and other kabooms in last few years indicate that the organisations with secular beliefs had been the target.

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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.

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Bangladesh

HUJI big turban admits he boomed commies in 2001

2010-10-11

[Bangla Daily Star] Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji) leader Mufti Moin Sheikh alias Abu Zandal yesterday confessed his involvement in Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) rally blast case, 2001 before a Dhaka court. Q: What's the difference in Bangladesh between a Communist terrorist and a professionally pius Muslim politician? A: Age and experience. Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Sahadat Hossain recorded Zandal's confessional statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Act after Criminal Investigation Department (CID) produced him before the court. CID and court sources said the Huji leader, in a 19-page statement, admitted his presence and participation in the blast at Paltan Maidan in a rally of CPB on January 21, 2001. Zandal is the first accused who confessed his involvement in the infamous blast that killed five people and injured 50 more.

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Bangladesh

Abu Zandal on fresh remand

2010-09-24

[Bangla Daily Star] Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday in a fresh remand prayer told a Dhaka court that Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji) leader Abu Zandal collected grenades from BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu's residence and threw those on an Awami League rally. Third Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ali Hussain placed Zandal on a two-day remand after he was produced before it on completion of his five-day remand. But CID Special Superintendent of Police Abdul Kahar Akond, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, prayed for a three-day remand for Zandal and also submitted a forwarding report where he said Zandal admitted his involvement with supplying grenades used on the rally. The forwarding report also said, after consultation with Huji chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, Zandal brought grenades from Pintu, another accused in the case, and threw those on the rally on August 21, 2004 that AL Chief Sheikh Hasina was addressing. Moreover, Zandal had given important information about the grenade attacks. So, he needs to be remanded to realise more clues, the IO said. The case was filed for killing people during the grenade attack and another case was filed under the Explosive Substances Act. Zandal, who was jugged from Gazipur on February 14, 2008, was earlier remanded for 14 days in the two cases. At least 23 people, including Ivy Rahman, were killed and scores were injured in the grenade attacks on the Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue in 2004.

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Bangladesh

Charge-framing against Huji men Aug 30

2009-08-10

[Bangla Daily Star] Sylhet District and Sessions Judge Md Momin Ullah yesterday fixed August 30 for framing charges against the accused Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami (Huji) chief and his men for December 2005 grenade attack on the city mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran. Police produced the Huji chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and four of his accomplices before the court yesterday, but failed to produce the other accused--Humayun Kabir Himu as he was still at large. The judge fixed the date as the prosecution lawyers urged for charge framing against them. The judge also ordered for publishing court notification with the new date in the newspapers declaring Himu absconding. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted charge sheet on November 6 last year against six Huji men for the grenade attack. Investigation officer (IO) of the case Inspector Shamim Ur Rashid Pir of CID filed the charge sheet with the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court of Sylhet acquitting seven in the case (dropping seven of them). The six charge-sheeted accused in the case are Mufti Abdul Hannan, his brother Muhibullah alias Mofizul Islam alias Ovi, Mufti Main Uddin alias Abu Zandal, Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul, Delwar Hossain Ripon and Humayun Kabir Himu. The people who were dropped from the charge sheet are Fokhrul Islam Fahim, Badol Miah, Kabir Hossain, Abdul Quaiyum, Badrul Alam Mizan, Hafij Nayeem Ahmed Arif and Ahsan Ullah Kajol. Meantime, Kajol had died. All the charge sheeted had been in the jail hajat except Himu. Another accused Fakhrul Islam Fahim was not charged since his whereabouts could not be ascertained, the IO mentioned in the charge sheet. He said on receiving information about his whereabouts Fahim would be charged through a supplementary charge sheet. On December 2, 2005, criminals hurled a grenade at the mayor around 10:00pm as he was inaugurating a badminton tournament in Sylhet's Tilagarh area. The grenade fell five feet short of the mayor and failed to explode.

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Bangladesh

Grenade suppliers gone missing

2009-08-04

[Bangla Daily Star] A Dhaka court yesterday ordered further investigation into the August 21, 2004 grenade attack on an Awami League rally, stating that the investigation conducted earlier could not identify the collectors and suppliers of grenades used in the attack. The court ordered the inspector general of police to conduct the investigation and submit the report to the court within two months. The order came after a state lawyer, seeking further investigation into the two cases filed in connection with the attack on the rally on Bangabandhu Avenue, submitted two petitions before the court. Awami League President Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped the attack but 23 of her party leaders and workers were killed and over 300 were maimed. The lawyer in the petitions, submitted on June 25, said influential people who had supplied the grenades are still untraced. After hearing the petitions on three days, Judge Masdar Hossain of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 passed the orders. During the rule of four-party government, the investigation officers misdirected the probe by detaining one Juj Miah and forcing him to give false confessional statement, the judge said. It was not possible for them, who were earlier arrested in this connection and had given confessional statements, to have had carried out the attack since they could not give any details on the attack, he said. A total of 61 prosecution witnesses had earlier given their statements but they did not mention who were the planners and patrons. So the real culprits are still at large, the judge said. The judge further said that the prosecution only to find out the fact filed the petitions. So the order for further investigation was given to establish justice for both parties, the judge added. Defence lawyers for detained accused Pintu opposed the petitions saying the prosecution had filed those only to implicate several other BNP leaders and activists. After the order, a defence lawyer told reporters, "The unprecedented order was issued ignoring our arguments." Of the 22 accused in the cases, 14 are now behind bars, including Pintu, Hannan and his brother Mohibullah, Moulana Abu Sayeed, Moulana Abu Taher, Mufti Moinuddin Sheikh alias Abu Zandal. The eight absconding accused are Pintu's brothers Tajuddin and Moulana Liton, Anisul Mursalin and his brother Mahibul Muttakin, Iqbal, Moulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Howlader, Jahangir Alam Badar and Khalilur Rahman. The Criminal Investigation Department, which had misdirected the investigation during the reign of BNP-Jamaat-led four-party alliance government, finally pressed charges in June last year accusing 21 members of Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (Huji) including its top leader Mufti Abdul Hannan and BNP leader and former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu. In the charge sheet, the CID only mentioned Tajuddin, brother of Pintu, as the supplier of the grenades. The CID investigators could not find out who gave him the grenades and how. Meanwhile, Indian national Moulana Mansur Ali, an organiser of Kashmir-based militant outfit Asif Reza Commando Force, disclosed to investigators that one of its leaders from India had given the grenades to Tajuddin in person, said officials of Detective Branch of police.

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Bangladesh

ARCF supplied grenades for Aug 21 attack

2009-08-01

[Bangla Daily Star] Kashmir-based militant outfit Asif Reza Commando Force (ARCF), which works together with Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), supplied grenades to LeT Bangladesh chapter leader Moulana Tajuddin for the August 21 attack in 2004. This was revealed by detained LeT leader Indian national Moulana Mansur Ali as the government pushes for further investigation into the grisly attack particularly to unearth if any influential quarters supplied the grenades. Mansur, who is also an ARCF organiser, told Detective Branch (DB) during interrogation that an ARFC leader, who is also from India, directly handed over the grenades to Tajuddin, brother of detained former BNP deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu. The investigators however did not reveal the Indian national's name for the sake of investigation. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in its charge sheet only mentioned that Tajuddin had supplied the grenades. But the CID investigators could not find out who handed over the grenades to him and how. Chief Public Prosecutor Syed Rezaur Rahman on June 25 submitted a prayer to a Dhaka court for further investigation into the attack, which aimed to assassinate AL President Sheikh Hasina in 2004. Rahman in his prayer argued that experts and influential people who had supplied the grenades were still untraced. The court which has already heard the prayer on three dates has fixed August 3 for an order in this regard. "We're expecting more important leads from Mansur on the suppliers of grenades used in the August 21 attack," said a top detective on the understanding of anonymity. The grisly attack on Hasina's rally on Bangabandhu Avenue killed 23 AL leaders and workers and maimed over 300 others. The investigators say both ARCF and LeT have close links to the leaders of Harkatul Jihad al Islam (Huji) Bangladesh chapter and work together in the country. Mansur, who was living in Bangladesh for around 17 years with fake identity and serving as a madrasa teacher, also said most of the grenade throwers at the AL rally were Afghan war veterans having expertise in handling explosives, the sources add. Quoting Mansur, DB sources say the grenades were smuggled into the country through Satkhira border. The other detained LeT leader Mufti Obaidullah was also hiding in Bangladesh for 14 years assuming false identity and was serving as a madrasa teacher. DB Assistant Commissioner Sanwar Hossain, who arrested the two Indian militants, told The Daily Star, "Mansur said ARCF leaders led by a moulana handed over the grenades to Tajuddin." Quoting Mansur, Sanwar also said most of the grenade throwers were Afghan war veterans with skills in handling explosives. He added some others who took part in the attack were not fighters but were trained up by the war veterans. The CID submitted the charge sheet in the grenade attack case on June 11 last year accusing 22 people including Abdus Salam Pintu and Huji leader Mufti Hannan. According to the charge sheet, apart from Pintu, all other accused are Huji leaders and activists. Of them, 14 are now behind bars, including Pintu, Mufti Hannan and his brother Mohibullah, Moulana Abu Sayeed, Moulana Abu Taher, Mufti Moinuddin Sheikh alias Abu Zandal. The eight absconding accused are Pintu's brothers Tajuddin and Moulana Liton, Anisul Mursalin and his brother Mahibul Muttakin, Iqbal, Moulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Howlader, Jahangir Alam Badar and Khalilur Rahman.

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Bangladesh

Huji operative Zandal indicted

2008-11-28

Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal yesterday framed charges against outlawed Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji) operative Abu Zandal in connection with the grenade attack on the British high commissioner at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) on May 21, 2004.

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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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