50 decimals of land were bought for militant training in Moulvibazar: Police
Many people, including some with their family members, have left their homes after being inspired by the so-called new militant organisation "Imam Mahmud's Cafella", which they believe as hijrat (religious migration), said police at a press conference, citing 10 alleged militants arrested from Moulvibazar on 12 August.
Police said they were arrested while taking preparation for "jihad" on a hill in a remote area of Kulaura upazila in the district. The group also bought 50 decimals of land on the hill to build a training camp, said Md Asaduzzaman, additional commissioner and head of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) at Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) media centre in the capital.
They believe that their leader, Imam Mahmud, is the person who is supposed to come to the world before Imam Mahdi, as mentioned in various books of hadith, and he will lead the Jihad in the Indian subcontinent, Md Asaduzzaman said.
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On 12 August, a CTTC unit arrested four men and six women in a raid titled "Operation Hillside". Police seized huge amounts of explosives, 50 detonators, local sharp weapons, punching bags, cash taka, gold ornaments and many books on militancy from their possession.
Quoting the arrestees, the police officer said Imam Mahmud told them that all those who will participate in the "jihad" would be rewarded in the afterlife. And, the first step is to leave home so that they can be ready for the "jihad" under the leadership of Imam Mahmud.
CTTC started an investigation after receiving information about the recent disappearance of people of different ages along with their family members from different areas of the country such as Jashore, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, etc.
