Dhaka, Aug 7 – A top leader of Bangladesh-based militant outfit JMB and a charge sheeted accused in the sensational Gulshcharge-sheeted attack case has been arrested in India, according Indian media reports.
A team of Indian Nationa to Investigation Agency (NIA) picked up Mohammad Zahidul Islam alias Munna from a hideout in Bangalore city on Monday in connection with recovery of two bombs in Bodh Gaya in Bihar in January this year.
Some electronic devices, besides “traces” of explosives, were recovered during a search of the house.
Islam was produced before the Special Court for NIA cases here, which granted five days of transit remand. He would now be produced before the Special NIA Court in Patna, according to NIA release.
The release said 38-year old Islam was the mastermind in the Bodh Gaya explosives case and on his directions, his close associate Mustafizur Rehman alias Shahin had arranged and assembled the bombs, which were found on January 20 when the Dalai Lama was on a visit to the pilgrimage town. The bombs were later deactivated, reports Time of India.
Munna is the mastermind behind the Bodh Gaya attack and blast at Burdwan in West Bengal on October 2, 2014. He is senior leader of Islamic terrorist group and the Bangladesh government has issued a death warrant against him, according to NIA release.
“He is the top leader of JMB (Jamaat-ul-Mujhahiddin Bangladesh) in India and is wanted in Burdwan blast case and in many other cases in Bangladesh also,” said the release.
Local police said Islam was living with his two wives at Ramanagara. After the Bodh Gaya incident, he was in hiding somewhere in Jharkhand and later moved to Ramanagara, reports NDTV.
“He was staying here as a tenant for the past two months,” said the India tv channel quoting police.
The NIA had registered an FIR in February last under IPC sections, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act.
The Buddhist pilgrimage town of Bodh Gaya was rocked by a series of blasts on July 7, 2013. Though there were no casualties, several people, including some monks, were injured.
Meanwhile PTI reports that Bomaru Mizan was arrested fol, lowing a tip-off the sleuths got from two persons arrested from Kottakkal in Malappuram district two days ago.
The NIA arrested Abdul Karim alias Chhota (19 years), resident of Elizabad, Murshidabad and Mustafizur Rehman alias Shaheen alias Tuhin, (37 years, ) resident of Birbhum, West Bengal from Kottakkal on August 3 .
The accused were arrested from labour camp of migrant labourers in Kottakkal where they had been hiding subsequent to planting of IEDs at Bodh Gaya. Searches were conducted at the hideouts of these two accused and incriminating material including circuit design of IED has been recovered by the NIA team, ” said the release issued by the NIA.
“During investigation of the case, identity of 10 accused persons has been established so far who were involved in this conspiracy” added the release. The accused were produced before the NIA Special Court, Kochi on August 4, which granted NIA 4 days’ transit remand. They were later produced before the NIA Special court, Patna and the Court has granted 15 days’ of NIA custody.
According to NIA, investigation revealed that a group of terrorists belonging to JMB (Jamat-ul-Mujahidin Bangladesh) is operating under Boma Mizan alias Kausar alias Munna alias Badabhai and Mustafizur Rehman alias Tuhin alias Shahin.
Bomaru Mizan is a wanted accused in the Holey Artisan militant attack that left 22 people killed.
A senior official of Bangladesh’s Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) said that they came to know that Bomaru Mizan was arrested along with two of his Indian associates.
The CTTC began procedure to communicate with authorities concerned over the matter as to how they bring back them in Bangladesh, he said.
Bomaru Mizan, an explosive expert of JMB, went into hiding since armed JMB members ambushed a prison van and snatched him along with two other militants from Mymensingh’s Trishal on February 23, 2014. – Staff Reporter
