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Bangladesh

Charges against Faisal, finally

2009-04-29

[Bangla Daily Star] The police yesterday pressed charges against Bangladesh-born British citizen Faisal Mostafa and 10 others in a case filed for arms haul at Green Crescent madrasa-cum-orphanage in Bhola. Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam of Borhanuddin Police Station, also investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet to judicial magistrate Aminul Islam. He accused Faisal of links to the mini-munitions factory unearthed in the madrasa founded by his charity Green Crescent. The IO said despite knowing that Mohiuddin, a guard-cum-cook at Green Crescent, had been stockpiling huge arms and ammunition there, Faisal did not bother to inform the law enforcement agencies. Hassan Saifuddin Badal, Moulana Muhammad Russell, Jasim, Abdul Halim, Abul Kalam, Mohiuddin, Kawmi Madrasa Oikya Parishad leader Moulana Mufti Mohiuddin, Humayun Ahmed, a local primary school teacher Abul Kalam and Mizanur Rahman are the other charge-sheeted accused. Of them, the last five are still at large. The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) found the arms factory inside the madrasa-cum-orphanage on March 24. During the bust, they arrested four suspected militants--Abul Kalam, Abdul Halim, Jasim and Moulana Mohammad Russell. Initially, Faisal was not made accused in any of the two cases filed in connection with the arms recovery. Two days after the arms seizure, his relatives in Dhaka and UK claimed he had been detained since March 25. The law enforcement agencies, however, kept denying arresting him. They didn't deny beating him ... After days of mystery, Rab finally declared on April 6 that they arrested Faisal, 42, along with his close associate Badal in Gazipur in the early hours that day. The charge sheet is based on painfully extracted confessional statements made by Faisal, Badal and Moulana Russell, and the information gleaned in interrogations. Both Faisal and Badal in their statements said Mohiuddin had long been building up stock of the weapons. Sheikh Muhammad Ali, deputy assistant director of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab)-8, filed the two cases on March 24--one under the arms act and the other under Anti-Terrorism Act 2008. Eleven people were made accused in the cases. SI Rafiqul said Faisal's name was included in the charge sheet after he confessed to having knowledge of the arms and ammunition stash.

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Bangladesh

Faisal, Badal remanded again

2009-04-17

[Bangla Daily Star] A Bhola court yesterday placed Faisal Mostafa and his prime associate Hassan Saifuddin Badal again on a 10-day remand to grill them on the motive behind keeping arms and ammunition at Green Crescent Madrasa in Bhola. The Investigation Officer (IO) of the case produced the two before the Bhola Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court on completion of a 10-day remand and prayed for more 10 days for each in the case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Ordinance 2008. Earlier, the court showed Faisal arrested in the case following a petition filed by the IO, Sub-inspector Rafiqul Islam of Borhanuddin Police Station. "Faisal and Badal have admitted owning the seized firearms but they are yet to disclose why they had assembled arms and ammunition at the madrasa. That is why we have sought further remand for them," said the IO. Meanwhile, seven solicitors representing Faisal and Badal filed a petition seeking bails, but the court rejected their plea and granted the two 10-day remand each. Earlier on Wednesday the two were taken to Bhola where the Task force Intelligence (TFI) questioned them. Faisal was not initially made accused in any of the two cases filed in connection with the recovery from Green Crescent Madrasa cum Orphanage. He was later shown arrested in both the cases as his name came in the recent confessional statement of Mohammad Russell, one of accused of the two cases. Police sources said both Faisal and Badal might be again sent to the capital for TFI interrogation. Faisal, the founder of Green Crescent madrasa, was apprehended along with Badal at Pubail, Gazipur on April 6 in connection with the arms haul. On March 24, Rapid Action Battalion unearthed the 'mini-ammunition factory' inside the madrasa-cum-orphanage and seized 10 firearms, 2,500 bullets, 3,000 grenade splinters, 200 grams of gun powder, different components of ammunition and 72 books on jihad, Abul Ala Maududi and Osama bin Laden.

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Bangladesh

Faisal now admits ownership of arms

2009-04-16

[Bangla Daily Star] Bangladesh-born British citizen Faisal Mostafa who initially denied having any firearms and ammunition seized from Green Crescent Madrasa in Bhola admitted that he owns some of the firearms. "Initially Faisal told us that he does not know anything about the firearms and ammunition but now he admitted to have some of the arms," said an investigator tasked with investigating the arms haul from the madrasa at Ramkeshob village in Borhanuddin upazila. Investigators, however, suspected that Faisal, now on a 10-day remand, stockpiled all the firearms, ammunition and explosives either to train up militants or to supply those arms and explosives for militant attacks. Investigators have already found Faisal's close links with banned Islamist outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh. Faisal had met executed JMB supremo Shaekh Abdur Rahman several times, and kept in contact with Saidur Rahman, now-on-the-run boss of the militant organisation. "We suspect him as a high-profile militant. He has knowledge about most of the militant attacks in Bangladesh," the investigator said wishing anonymity. Faisal, founder of the madrasa, and his close associate Hassan Saifuddin Badal, who was also taken on a 10-day remand, were sent to Borhanuddin yesterday as their current remand will expire today. The investigator said the duo might be produced before a Bhola court today. He said fresh remand would be sought for them for further interrogation. Faisal, founder of Green Crescent charity and NGO, was picked up along with his close associate Badal from Pubail in Gazipur on April 6 in connection with the arms haul from his madrasa. On March 24, Rapid Action Battalion unearthed the 'mini-ammunition factory' inside the madrasa-cum-orphanage and seized 10 firearms, 2,500 bullets, 3,000 grenade ball splinters, 200 gram gun powder, different parts of ammunition and 72 books on jihad, Abul Ala Maududi and Osama bin Laden.

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