17 JMB members arrested in Dhaka
19 mobile phones, Tk2.34 lakh and $922 were seized from their possession
The Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of police has arrested 17 members of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) as they tried to go to Saudi Arabia one month ago for so-called "Hijrat" in the name of Tablighi Jamaat, hoping to meet Imam Mahdi.
They were arrested Monday evening from Kakrail area in Dhaka.
The arrestees are Md Haider Ali, 44, Md Mahmudul Hasan alias Masum, Md Jamirul Islam, 24, Md Billal Hossain, 38, Md Sheikh Arafat Hossain alias Johny, 48, Md Imrul Hasan alias Emon, 25, Md Saiful Islam, 25, Md Mozammel Haque, 33, Md Shahjalal, 24, Md Akhtaruzzaman, 30, Md Mahmudul Hasan alias Sabbir, 23, Md Abid Ul Mahmud alias Abid, 22, Md Sohail Sarder, 33, Md Obaidul Islam alias Sumon, 30, Mahmud Hasan alias Sharif, 18, Md Majedul Islam alias Mukul, 28 and Md Sohag Hasan, 20.
The raid was led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of CTTC Tahidul Islam.
He said, "We arrested the JMB members at around 7:15 pm from in front of the Public Health Office opposite of Kakrail Mosque. 19 mobile phones, Tk2.34 lakh and $922 were seized from their possession."
"In primary interrogation, they confessed that they are the members of JMB," he added.
The police official said, "In 2017, Syed Mostak Bin Arman, an engineer went to Saudi Arabia from Bangladesh and has been staying there till now. As a soldier of Imam Mahdi, he released audio and video of his different speeches in favour of Jihad and urged to do Jihad on behalf of Muslims at Ghazwat-ul-Hind area.
"Inspired by his speech, the arrested JMB members contacted him and tried to go to Saudi Arabia."
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Tahidul also said, "Meanwhile, inspired by Mostak, four students of Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh contacted him and went to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah in January this year. They did not return."
"The arrested JMB members said seven other persons, including Saad, Kawser, Sharif, Tofazzal, Giasuddin, Ali Azam and Rashed, performed Hijrat in Saudi Arabia in different times for the purpose of joining as soldiers of Imam Mahdi," the police official added.
A case was lodged with Ramna Model Police Station against the 17 arrestees, he further said.
