5 'key organisers' held

Seven suspected members of Hizb ut-Tahrir, including five "key organisers" of a web conference claimed to be organised by the banned militant outfit on September 4, at the capital's Khilkhet on Saturday night, claimed Dhaka Metropolitan Police at a press briefing yesterday.

They are Ekramul Khayer alias Opu, Md Abdul Kayyum, Md Nazmul Hasan alias Nipon, Md Ibrahim Sheikh, Md Rashedul Islam Sheikh, Md Ariful Islam and ASM Tarek Amin.

A cybercrime prevention team of the Detective Branch of police also recovered some leaflets and "Jihadist books" from them, said DMP Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam adding that Rashedul and Ariful were earlier arrested in a case filed under the anti-terrorism act.

The arrestees, who are students of different universities and colleges, used social media to spread "anti-state propaganda," said Monirul.

The web conference started at 3:30pm and continued for around two hours and a half. The organisation, banned in October 2009, had circulated the news of the conference through posters, leaflets and social media posts, said intelligence sources earlier.