Bangladesh seizes Islamist bomb mastermind
DHAKA, March 2 (Reuters) - An Islamist militant leader blamed for a string of deadly blasts across Bangladesh surrendered on Thursday after a house he was hiding in was besieged by security forces for over 24 hours, officials said.
They said Shayek Abdur Rahman gave himself up in the northeastern city of Sylhet and was whisked away to the capital, Dhaka, for interrogation.
"Shayek Abdur Rahman along with two of his associates have come out of hiding and surrendered," said Lieutenant-Colonel Nurul Momen of the elite Rapid Action Battalion.
Authorities tightened security across the nation, fearing a backlash by Shayek's supporters.
Shayek was taken to the headquarters of the elite Rapid Action Battalion under tight security after a magistrate ordered him remanded for 10 days.
He was not allowed to talk to the media or to pose for photographers.
After Shayek's initial interrogation security forces raided another house in Sylhet and recovered explosives and bomb-making materials. They also lay siege to a house in the nearby Hobiganj town and officials said a raid was expected soon.
Shayek led the outlawed Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, which along with another Islamic group, Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh, has been accused of waging a violent campaign for the introduction of Islamic sharia law in Bangladesh, a mainly Muslim democracy.
The bombings in Bangladesh have killed at least 30 people, including two judges, and wounded 150 since August 2005.
Security forces surrounding a two-storeyed building in Sylhet since Tuesday night fired tear gas shells and pumped in water to flush out Shayek.
A witness said he walked slowly out to the street escorted by police commandos.
On Wednesday, Shayek's wife Ayesha, their two sons and two daughters emerged from the house after tear gas shells were fired. They were among nine people detained.
A homemade bomb, explosives, a detonator and some Islamic publications were recovered from the building after Shayek's surrender, officials said.
Intelligence officials said they had monitored a telephone conversation between Shayek and a follower on Tuesday, which tipped them off as to where he was. The arrest of a close aide of Shayek three days ago in Dhaka had also helped in his capture.
The hunt for Siddikul Islam Bangla Bhai, the fugitive chief of the Jagrata Muslim Janata, will now be intensified, they said.
"If he is captured, it would be a major step towards eliminating Islamist fighters from the country," a senior intelligence official said.
The government late last year announced a 10 million taka ($147,385) award for the arrest of either man.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in an unscheduled televised address thanked friendly countries and organisations for assisting local forces in capturing Shayek.
She said those who terorrised people in the name of Islam were enemies of the religion and would be dealt with firmly.
They said Shayek Abdur Rahman gave himself up in the northeastern city of Sylhet and was whisked away to the capital, Dhaka, for interrogation.
"Shayek Abdur Rahman along with two of his associates have come out of hiding and surrendered," said Lieutenant-Colonel Nurul Momen of the elite Rapid Action Battalion.
Authorities tightened security across the nation, fearing a backlash by Shayek's supporters.
Shayek was taken to the headquarters of the elite Rapid Action Battalion under tight security after a magistrate ordered him remanded for 10 days.
He was not allowed to talk to the media or to pose for photographers.
After Shayek's initial interrogation security forces raided another house in Sylhet and recovered explosives and bomb-making materials. They also lay siege to a house in the nearby Hobiganj town and officials said a raid was expected soon.
Shayek led the outlawed Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, which along with another Islamic group, Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh, has been accused of waging a violent campaign for the introduction of Islamic sharia law in Bangladesh, a mainly Muslim democracy.
The bombings in Bangladesh have killed at least 30 people, including two judges, and wounded 150 since August 2005.
Security forces surrounding a two-storeyed building in Sylhet since Tuesday night fired tear gas shells and pumped in water to flush out Shayek.
A witness said he walked slowly out to the street escorted by police commandos.
On Wednesday, Shayek's wife Ayesha, their two sons and two daughters emerged from the house after tear gas shells were fired. They were among nine people detained.
A homemade bomb, explosives, a detonator and some Islamic publications were recovered from the building after Shayek's surrender, officials said.
Intelligence officials said they had monitored a telephone conversation between Shayek and a follower on Tuesday, which tipped them off as to where he was. The arrest of a close aide of Shayek three days ago in Dhaka had also helped in his capture.
The hunt for Siddikul Islam Bangla Bhai, the fugitive chief of the Jagrata Muslim Janata, will now be intensified, they said.
"If he is captured, it would be a major step towards eliminating Islamist fighters from the country," a senior intelligence official said.
The government late last year announced a 10 million taka ($147,385) award for the arrest of either man.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in an unscheduled televised address thanked friendly countries and organisations for assisting local forces in capturing Shayek.
She said those who terorrised people in the name of Islam were enemies of the religion and would be dealt with firmly.
posted by Marko at 3/02/2006 09:20:00 AM
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