3 suspected 'Ansar Al Islam' members arrested in Cox's Bazar
Ansar Al Islam now operating under As-Shahadat name
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested three suspected members of the banned militant outfit Ansar Al Islam from Cox's Bazar's Choufaldandi area today.
Extremist booklets, leaflets and manuals for making explosives were recovered during the operation, Commander Arafat Islam, director of RAB's Legal and Media Wing, said at a press conference in Cox's Bazar today.
The arrested are Zakaria Mondol, 19, of Islampur area of Jamalpur; Niamat Ullah, 21, of Borhan Uddin upazila of Bhola; and Md Ozair, 19, of Sonagajir area of Feni.
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Commander Arafat said the arrestees were inspired by the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan to join the militant organisation Ansar al Islam.
The activities of Ansar Al Islam almost came to a standstill as a result of regular raids by RAB and other law enforcement agencies, he added.
The RAB official said Ansar al-Islam is failing to conduct its activities, including recruitment of new members. To keep their activities going, members of Ansar al-Islam created a new militant group called As-Shahadat and started recruiting new members.
The group is being run from a neighbouring country and the organisation has an estimated 85-100 members. The founders of this group are Habibullah, a citizen of a neighbouring country, and Amir Salahuddin.
