Huji active in Magura under Khelafat Majlish leadership
SP says they were not aware of it
Terrorist organisation Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, Bangladesh (Huji), which emerged in the country in early 1992 through an open declaration of its Jihad agenda, has strongholds in different rural areas of Magura, set up under the direct supervision of its operation commander Mufti Abdul Hannan.
Khelafat Majlish is running militant activities here in favour of Huji for the last couple years, according to sources in police and intelligence agencies.
Though Khelafat Majlish leaders have been involved in militant activities in favour of Huji, law enforcers here were not aware of this, police said.
'Expressing ignorance about Huji's stronghold in Magura, Magura Police Superintendent Mohammad Muslim (his name is Mohammad Muslim) said, “We were not aware of their militant activities here (Magura) before the raid and recovery of sophisticated arms and explosives under possession of Khelafat Majlish leaders”.
At least 100 Huji cadres are active in four upazilas of the district under the leadership of some Khelafat Majlish leaders, intelligence sources claimed. Usually, they are known as activists of KM.
Following a lead extracted from Huji kingpin Mufti Hannan during his remand in Dhaka, a team of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on October 28 in a sudden raid arrested Magura district KM Ameer Mokaddes Ali and its Mohammadpur upazila unit general secretary Mohammad Bakibillah.
Acting on confession of the arrestees, Rab retrieved two Chinese rifles, two bombs, two pairs of army uniform and a huge quantity of explosives by digging the ground at Kharabila field in Nohata area under Mohammadpur upazila, official sources said.
After the recovery of arms and explosives, they were instantly taken to Dhaka for quizzing and were handed over to Mohammadpur police on October 31.
Basing on the information revealed during interrogation in remand, Magura police Friday afternoon arrested former general secretary of Mmagura district Khelafat Majlish Faijul Islam for his alleged involvement in militant activities under the banner of Huji.
“As Khelafat Majlish's involvement in militant activities has already been revealed, we are determined to track down them”, the SP said.
Moghi in Magura Sadar upazila is the village home of Mufti Hannan's father-in-law. Hannan was married to Ruma Parvin, daughter of Ansar Ali of the village about 13 years back, in-law's family members said.
Taking this opportunity, Mufti Hannan used to visit the area frequently. He supervised organistional activities of Huji and Khelafat Majlish and trained cadres, sources in intelligence agencies said.
District organising secretary of Magura Khelafat Majlish Hafiz Moniruzzaman is the nephew of Mufti Hannan, sources close to the organization said.
Apart from Mokaddes and Bakibillah, Mufti Hannan had good relations with Mohammadpur upazila Ameer of Khelafat Majlish Khalilur Rahman and its Sreepur upazila Ameer Ahammad Hossain.
Of the high ranking district Khelafat Majlish leaders, Ahammad Hossain was arrested during Awami League rule regime for attempting to kill the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina by planting a bomb at her public meeting venue in Kotalipara in Gopalganj district.
Two alleged Huji cadres--Shahidul and Tikka Molla of Bezra village in Mohammadpur upazila-were arrested earlier but released on bail. Shahidul was arrested in February while Tikka was arrested in July this year, police said.
After the recent raid by Rab, both of went into hiding, locals said.
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