JMB, Hizbut taking violent line again:Daily Sun

  Activists of different banned Islamist militant outfits, including Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Hizbut Tahrir, are reportedly coming out their hideouts to launch attacks in the country. The JMB and Hizbut activists, who had gone into hiding in the face of joint operations by law-enforcers, are staging comeback and taking violent line again, intelligence sources said. On Friday, Hizb
ut militants were locked in a fierce clash with police in the capital’s Mohammadpur area in which one of their fellows sustained bullet wounds. Sub-Inspector of Mohammadpur police Razib Mia said that Hizbut activists brought out a sudden procession on Iqbal Road in the area after Juma prayers. As police tried to disperse the Hizbut men, they exploded cocktails, hurled brick chips and stones at the law-enforcers triggering a clash. In retaliation, police opened fire, leaving one identified as Nafis, a Hizbut activist, critically injured. He sustained bullet wounds in the back and leg. The injured was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). On the other hand, the JMB on Tuesday threatened to blow up Chittagong court building through a bomb attack. The fresh threat has prompted the authorities concerned to step up security in and around the court area with deployment of huge contingent of law-enforcers. The JMB which carried out countrywide serial bombings on August 17, 2005 and subsequent suicide bomb attacks on public places, courts are continuing with organisational activities through cell phone and hand-written letters either from jail or hideouts. Getting such message, the jail authorities have started close monitoring of all the JMB prisoners’ activities and restricted their meetings with their relatives. Last year, a group of fugitive JMB activists attacked a police prison van and snatched their three leaders Boma Mizan, Rakib and Salehin at Trisal in Mymensingh. Soon after the attack, Rakib was caught and shot dead in an encounter with the law-enforcers. Intelligence sources said they have information that some militant outfits, including JMB, Huji and Hizbut having link with international terrorist organizations are becoming active again. With a view to achieving their goal, they are staging comeback from their hideouts and carrying out organisational activities, the sources added. Police, DB police, Rapid Action Battalion and Special Branch are working in the capital and elsewhere in the country to know about their clandestine activities. Joint commissioner of Detective police Monirul Islam said that they have already stepped up intelligence activities across the country.