Ayman al-Zawahiri Al-Qaeda Chief Ayman al-Zawahiri has announced in a video message on Wednesday that a branch of his organisation will be established in India. In the message, he mentioned the name of Myanmar, Bangladesh and Asam, Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Jammu and Kashmir. It is presumed from the video message published online that in every area of these regions of India, units of Al-Qaeda will be set up. Indian government is worried at this video message. India’s home minister Rajnath Singh held an emergency meeting on Thursday. Red alert has been enforced there. However, Bangladesh is not worried over the declaration of Al-Qaeda leader about establishment of branches. Till yesterday high-ups in the government and administration said that like all other times Bangladesh is alert about Al-Qaeda. The matter relating to the new announcement is being considered seriously. Intelligence department is watching the matter closely. Meanwhile, security analyst and intelligence people are saying that the announcement about the setting up of Al-Qaeda branch has come due to conflicting position of Islamic State (IS) with Al-Qaeda. But Al-Qaeda has been eager from previous time to establish control in Bangladesh. Al-Qaeda has ideological similarity with several Islami Militant organisation of the country. Intelligence has found ideological link of Al-Qaeda with several militant organisations including recently talked about Ansarullah Bangla Team, Ansarullah Sunnah, Jamaatul Muslimen, JMB, Huzi and Hizbut Tahrir. It is feared that Al-Qaeda may coordinate these organisations. In the past also Zawahiri has spoken about Bangladesh in an audio message. Analysts feel that on this issue Bangladesh has to take cautious step along with India and Myanmar. Zawahiri in his 55-minute video message said in mixed Arabic and Urdu languages “This step will upload the expansion of Islamic law and flag of Jihad in the sub continent. It is a news of joy for the Muslims of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Asam, Gujarat, Ahmedabad and Kashmir. He said this new unit of Al-Qaeda will rescue the Muslims from unjust and injustice. The newly formed force will destroy the artificial border that divides the Muslim population of the region (subcontinent). When his reaction to this issue was sought, state minister for home Asaduzzaman Kamal told Kaler Kantho “We have come to know that red alert has been enforced in India after the publication of the video message. We are also taking the matter seriously. We are always alert about the militancy. He further said it is being looked into as to how and where from the video came. We shall hold discussion on the matter within a day or two. Security analyst Maj Gen (retd) Abdur Rashid said although the issue of Bangladesh came in the audio message earlier, in the instant message of Zawahiri reflected Al-Quaeda’s interest in the matters of India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. New branch of Al-Qaeda in South Asia perhaps aimed at creating a stronghold and jeopardising peace and tranquility in the area. The governments of the three countries have taken an anti-militant stand. India and Bangladesh are jointly working to this effect. But there is lack of understanding between Bangladesh and Myanmar over the issue due to the latter’s trouble with RSO issue. Asked whether new branch launching is a threat for Bangladesh, he said it is believed that the Islamist militant outfits in Bangladesh are linked with Al-Quaeda. Ideologies of many militant outfits are found to be identical. It is a matter of fear that these outfits may be united for committing some untoward incidents. But the hard-line of the government against militants creates doubt about success of the outfits. Yet, the law enforcing agencies should not sit idle. Militancy is not confined to Islamist outfits. Rather, its link to Trinomul Congress and Sarda Group manifests geo-political scenario. Money is considered as oxygen of militancy. If financing channel can be damaged, militancy will not rise. Abdur Rashid thinks AL-Qaeda announced new branch to resist IS. To what extent the matter poses a security concern for Bangladesh is a matter of investigation, he added. Col Ziaul Ahsan, Additional Director General (ADG) of RAB, said it is not sure whether the audio message belongs to Zawahiri or not. “We are investigating into the matter. We are alert about Al-Qaeda. But we are not worried. The people of Bangladesh do not like militancy. There is no scope for local and foreign outfits to operate in the country.” About ideological similarity among local militant outfits, he said “Militant outfits including JMB, HUJI and Hizb ut-Tahrir are cornered due to our drive. A fragile organisation like Al-Qaeda will not cause any harm by supporting these outfits. Perhaps, Al-Qaeda released the audio tape to come to the fore of discussion again.” Col Zia further said two boys were arrested earlier for releasing Zawahiri’s tape. Although the boys were imbued with the spirit of Al-Qaeda, no information about their organisations were available. Quoting Indian intelligence agencies, Reuters, AFP, G-Media Bureau expressed concern over the launching of branch. The country’s Union Home Ministry and Intelligence Bureau (IB) issued all-India alert. Intelligence sources of the country did not rule out the audio tape saying Al-Qaeda cannot compete with IS. It has become a great challenge for Al-Qaeda to hold leading position in the international militancy. As such, it would like to expand its dominance by launching branches in new places. In its tape, Zawahiri said Muslims in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Assam, Gujrat, Ahmedabad and Kashmir will be united and they will be rescued from persecution by launching new branch. Intelligences of India and Bangladesh both said the above mentioned areas are very communally sensitive. Al-Qaeda has chalked out new plan to launch onslaught against the moderate and secular youths of these places. Specially, it may have a plan to attack IS supporters. The IS came into being in 2013 with youths of various countries across the globe as its supporter. There are 20,000 IS supporters in 50 countries. IS chief Abu Bakar Al Baghdadi claims himself as Caliph of Muslims. He formed the organisation with a group of youth in 2013 following its misunderstanding with Al Qaeda over Syria issue. It is learnt that RAB arrested a boy named Russel Bin Sattar Khan from Majhipara of Tangail on charge of releasing Zawahiri’s online message calling zihad. A 29-minute tape titled “Bangladesh: Massacre Behind a Wall of Silence” carried Zawahiri’s threat against anti-Islam conspiracy. The tape showed the law enforcement agencies’ drive against the gathering of members of Hefazat-e-Islam at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel. It also reflected Zawahiri’s grievance over the trial of Jamaat leaders on charge of wartime crimes. Tanvir Hasan Zoha, director of Insight Bangladesh, told Kaler Kantho, this 28 minutes 58 seconds audio message prepared by Al-Qaeda’s associate organisation Al-Shabaab has been uploaded from Arizona state of USA. Taj Hasmi, professor of security studies in Austin Peay State University of USA, claimed that the message circulated on January 14 was very much of Zawahiri. At that time a spokesman of US state department said, “Bangladesh is a moderate tolerant Muslim state where there is no room for extremists like Al-Qaeda.” Although Police and RAB became confident after investigation about the matter, they could not find out whether anybody else of the country was involved in it or not. Sources said on November 30 last year this audio tape of Zawahiri was published through Dawahilallah.wordpress.com. On January 14 a website named Jihadology.Net circulated it, said intelligence sources. Russel said in the interrogation in TFI cell that he posted and shared the audio clip of Zawahiri on different websites along with Facebook which he found on ‘dawahilallah’ website. Russel claimed to have connection with at least 10 Al-Qaeda persons who are staying abroad. They are responsive to last year’s Hefazat-e-Islam’s rally and killing of Alem-Ulama. Sources said intelligence agencies initiated investigation of Zawahiri’s interest in Bangladesh after the disclosure of the audio clip. Referring to a report of ‘Times’ magazine, parliament members and ministers in the parliament claimed that Al-Qaeda leaders visited Bangladesh several times during the regime of BNP-led four-party alliance government. Intelligence agencies have information that Zawahiri visited Bangladesh in 2001 but they did not have enough evidence to support it. The Joint Commissioner of Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Manirul Islam said former JMB Ameer Saidur Rahman admitted about the financing from Yemen-based Al-Qaeda. Arrested leaders of different militant organisations in India and Pakistan also admitted their involvement with Al-Qaeda. But none of them gave any information about Zawahiri’s visit to Bangladesh. Ansarullah Bangla Team also had ideological similarities with Al-Qaeda. Intelligence officials said investigation is going on into the Al-Qaeda network after it came into discussion recently. Sources said evidence was found regarding the Al-Qaeda’s network from the files confiscated from the office of Mufti Jasim Uddin Rahmani, the chief of Ansarullah Bangla Team. After arresting three former JMB men on July 29, it was found that they are the current members of Jamaat-ul-Muslimeen. Both the organisations have ideological similarities with Al-Qaeda. Recently, intelligence agencies received information about an organisation named Ansarullah Sunnah. A youth group of Ansarullah Bangla Team, arrested for killing of blogger Rajib Hyder on February 15, 2013, said there are hundreds of armed teams who are ready to establish Islam in the country.
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