Terrorists with $5 million US bounty on their heads are hiding in Bangladesh

By Mrityunjoy Kumar Jha

New Delhi, Dec 23: Two death row convicted terrorists Syed Zia-ul Haq and Akram Hossain Abir of the terror group Ansar Al Islam, which is affiliated to al-Qaeda, are hiding in Bangladesh confirmed the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime agency (CTTC) of the country.

On Monday, the US announced a reward of $5 million for information leading to the arrest of these terrorists who killed a US blogger in 2015. Avijit Roy, a US citizen of Bangladeshi origin, was hacked to death by machete-wielding assailants in February 2015 while returning home with his wife from a Dhaka book fair. His wife and fellow blogger Rafida Ahmed suffered head injuries and lost a finger.

According to the US department for justice, a total of six individuals were charged, tried, and convicted in Bangladesh. Two of the convicted conspirators, Syed Ziaul Haque and Akram Hussain were tried in absentia and remain at large.

Syed Ziaul Haq, a sacked army major believed to be the leader of the group while Akram Hossain Abir was head of the intelligence wing.

Bangladeshi Counter Terrorism agency has been chasing these two militants and according to them the mastermind Syed Ziaul Haq has been changing his name and locations frequently.

"We last tracked Zia's activities in May this year, when he sent instructions to secret online groups of the outfit ahead of Eid-ul-Azha," one official told The Daily Star. According to the official, Zia's message was: "My dear brothers and sisters, it is you, for whom our brothers are still active in Bangladesh, Kashmir and Afghanistan."

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that the reward

announced by the US for information on the killers would help the efforts of the Bangladesh government to catch them.

Ansar al Islam, declared itself to be the Bangladesh wing of al-Qaeda and had claimed the responsibility of killing the bloggers. The militant group first came into light after killing blogger Rajib Haider in Dhaka in 2013. So far, the group has claimed responsibilities for 9 murders including bloggers, publishers and students, teachers.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has hardened its resolve to eradicate terrorism from Bangladesh and over 100 terrorists have been killed and over 1500 arrested across the country in the last three years.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

--indianarrative

( 402 Words)

2021-12-23-14:30:07
Source: IANS