Editorial
Nabbing new militant leader
Restates need for constant vigilance
ARREST of yet another leader of a potential militant outfit reemphasises the fact that the phenomenon of religious extremism and militancy cannot be completely done away with. But, happily too, the arrest shows that being constantly on guard and with the agencies keeping constantly honed in antennae, these outfits can be anticipated and their germination nipped in the bud.
Mufti Jasimuddin, purportedly the head of an extremist outfit, Ansarullah Bangla Team, was arrested on August 12 along with 30 of his associates from Barguna. He confessed to advocating extremist views. And it seems that he is more inclined to Anwar al-Awlaki, the late spiritual head of al Qaeda, rather than bin Laden
There are a few lessons that we must draw from the arrests and the information that have emerged from the initial interrogation of Mufti Jasim. Firstly, these groups are no longer operating only in the remote rural areas but are also focusing on the major urban regions of the country. Secondly, it is the educated and the affluent that they are trying to motivate and inculcate with the idea of so-called Jihad. And thirdly, they have added finesse to their operation by creating networks rather than structured organisation.
The arrest demonstrates that there are extremist groups in Bangladesh that draw ideological motivation from international terrorist organisations. However, it is their organic linkage that the agencies must prevent occurring. The information should be used by the agencies to rehash their plans to combat the growth of religious extremism and thwart their effort to add to their ranks.
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