Shakhawat Hossain
In the wake of terror threat issued by a militant group allegedly based in Iran, the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka has expressed its grave concern over such a plot to hijack and bomb Saudi aircrafts in the sky of Bangladesh. The embassy has also sought cooperation from the Bangladesh side to foil any such attempt.
Saudi Embassy’s note verbal sent to the Foreign Ministry on January 24 expressing its fear that the Revolutionary Guard of Iran planned to hijack and bomb Saudi aircrafts in the sky of Bangladesh. The letter also said Saudi Arabian government has identified six persons out of ten who are Yemeni nationals and also the members of a gang deployed by Iranian authority to hijack or bomb Saudi planes. The Saudi embassy officials in Dhaka held a meeting with Home Minister Asaduzzman Khan Kamal recently to convey their concern and request help.
Adequate measures taken
Apparently, the Saudi request came soon after the Philippines authorities foiled a bid to hijack a Saudi Arabian Airlines plane at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport on February 24. According to a Manila-based newspaper, the authorities thwarted the plan and seized secret documents that contained the plot. The report said a team of 10 conspirators left Iran recently on separate flights and arrived in several countries in Southeast Asia via Turkey. They were plotting to execute their plan in Malaysia, Indonesia, or the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Dhaka has reportedly asked the concerned authorities to ensure safety of Saudi aircrafts. Officials of Bangladesh Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry said that they have taken adequate safety measures in and around all the airports, including Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, after getting formal request from the Saudi Embassy.
In fact, the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran reignited when protesters set fire to the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and attacked its consulate in another Iranian city in response to the Kingdom’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric on January 2. This prompted Riyadh to cut diplomatic ties with Tehran, escalating tensions between the two longtime rivals.
On February 22, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Manila notified the Department of Foreign Affairs [DFA] that the Saudi government received from concerned authorities that the “Iranian Revolutionary Guards” are allegedly initiating and supervising a plan to hijack or bomb a Saudi Arabian airplane. The names of suspected attackers were withheld from media, immigration officials were asked to remain alert to their entry into the country, official sources said.
Apart from that, UK Department of Transport in a report has expressed concern over the scanning systems of passengers, luggage and cargoes at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), but acknowledged existing ‘reasonable’ protective security measures around it. The security assessment was undertaken by a UK aviation security expert, the Regional Aviation Security Liaison Officer (RASLO) for Bangladesh, on December 15 last year.
US updates travel alert
Meanwhile, the United States on February 25 updated the travel alert for its citizens in Bangladesh, alerting that foreigners might be subjected to terrorist attacks, especially in large gatherings. “The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the ongoing potential for extremist violence in Bangladesh. This Travel Alert supersedes the November 10, 2015 alert and expires on May 1, 2016,” said a travel alert posted on the website of the US Embassy in Dhaka.
“The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) publicly claimed credit for many of these attacks. Additionally, groups saying they represent Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) claimed responsibility for a series of threats and terrorist attacks targeting writers, publishers, and others in the media, including the murder of a U.S. citizen blogger,” said the alert.
“The U.S. government assesses that the terrorist threat remains real and credible, and further attacks are possible,” it said. It, however, added: “The Government of Bangladesh has taken steps to pursue extremists and strengthen security, and thousands of U.S. citizens visit each year without incident. Nevertheless, U.S. citizens should take precautions, remain vigilant, and be alert to local security developments.”
Source: Weekly Holiday