RAB arrests 4, including 2 coordinators of a new militant outfit

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested four people, including two coordinators of a new militant organisation named Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya in Laksam of ​​Cumilla on Thursday.

The arrestees were involved in organising activities of Jamaatul Ansar Phil Hindal Sharqiya including inviting people, armed training, and supervision of new members, said RAB Media Wing Chief Khandaker Al Moin at a press conference held at RAB Media Center in Karwan Bazar on Friday (4 November).

A team of RAB-11 and the intelligence wing of RAB headquarters conducted an operation and arrested them from Cumilla's Laksam area on Thursday. The arrestees were identified as Md Abdul Quader, Md Ismail Hossain, Muntashir Ahmed, and Helal Ahmed Zakaria.

Two extremist booklets, a training syllabus, nine leaflets, a diary, and four bags were recovered from them during the arrest.

"They were introduced to extremism by close relatives, friends, local acquaintances two to four years ago and receive theoretical and practical armed training and other trainings through senior members of the organisation," RAB said. 

"Missing youths separated from their families are kept in safe houses under the supervision of senior members of the militant organisation in various areas including char areas of Patuakhali and Bhola for physical and militancy training to prepare for armed attacks," RAB Media Wing Chief Khandaker Al Moin added.

As a strategy to stay hidden, they were given technical training in various professions including those of masons, painters, and electricians, RAB said. 

The elite force said that the youth who had passed the initial training in different parts of the country were then given their training under the umbrella of various separatist and terrorist groups in the remote hilly areas of Bandarban and Rangamati.

"In the next phase of training in the remote areas of Bandarban, they were given various trainings including handling of firearms, making various types of bombs including IEDs, participating in stealth attacks, and various survival techniques in a hostile environment," RAB further said.