Police claimed to have identified a number of people tied to the Feb 26 murder of writer-blogger Avijit Roy, saying they could be members of militant organisation Ansarullah Bangla Team.
DMP Detective Branch’s spokesperson Monirul Islam made the claim in a briefing on Monday, a day after Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) claimed responsibility for the murders of writers and bloggers in Bangladesh.
The DB joint commissioner had earlier admitted they did not have any reports of al-Qaeda activity in Bangladesh but the Ansarullah Bangla Team stylistically copied the international terror outfit.
“Detective police identified more than five linked to the murder and are trying to arrest them,” he said on Monday.
Avijit’s wife, Rafida Ahmed Bonya, who lost a thumb in the attack while trying to save her husband, had also said there were five assailants.
However, a shopkeeper who had seen the attack firsthand said two attacked the couple armed with meat cleavers.
“We think they could be members of Ansarullah Bangla Team. There is proof that they believed in the same ideology and have perpetrated such silent or targeted killings before.”
A tweet from handle ‘Ansarullah Bangla 7’, suspected to be the platform’s alias, claimed responsibility for the attack immediately after the killing.
Islam claimed the statement was indeed from the militant organisation.
A month after the attack on Avijit during Amar Ekushey Book Fair on Dhaka University campus, people detained two perpetrators during the murder of online activist Oyasiqur Rahman in Tejgaon.
The duo admitted ties to Ansarullah Bangla Team chief Mufti Jasim Uddin Rahmani, who is in prison pending trial for the murder of blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider.
The killing of BUET student ‘Dwip’ and attempt on blogger Asif Mohiuddin were also attributed to Ansarullah Bangla Team.
Islam said, “Ansarullah Bangla Team copies, follows al-Qaeda. They follow strategies of al-Qaeda leaders, take them as their own leaders.”
However, Bangladeshi law enforcers do not have information about al-Qaeda or AQIS operations in Bangladesh.
“We do not have information of any Ansarullah Bangla Team members having direct links with al-Qaeda. But we have had information before that they have been trying for a long time for a tie-up with al-Qaeda.”
The DB spokesman said although FBI that is aiding Avijit’s murder investigation has collected evidence, it is yet to give results.
Source: Bd news24