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Is Bangladesh the next al-Qaeda hotbed?
Indian security agencies are concerned that Bangladesh is fast becoming a hotbed of international terrorism. Intelligence sources say that after 9/11, the country has become a recruiting and training ground for global terrorists with the Bangladesh army directly involved in these operations: - Nearly 100 persons have been trained to infiltrate the Indian borders by the Bangladeshi army centre at the Saidpur Army Regimental Centre, sources say.
- According to security agencies, the Border Security Force has furnished the Bangladesh Rifles with a list of nearly 150 terrorist training camps in that country.
- Apart from this, the Indian government has prepared a list of 13 terrorist camps and training centres that it believes are directly under the control of the al-Qaeda terrorist network. In addition to that, there are 11 madrassas, which also double up as training centres, sources in security agencies said.
The al-Qaeda has apparently shifted base to Bangladesh after facing the heat in Afghanistan and the Middle East. It has three camps in Coxâs Bazar, four each in Bandarban and Chittagong and one each in Rangamati and Brahmanbaria. Its oldest partner in the country is the Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami (HUJI), a terrorist organisation that started operating with financial help from Osama bin Laden. The US state department describes HUJI as a terrorist organisation with ties to Pakistani militants. Founded in 1992, today, it has a cadre-base of 15,000 men, led by Shaukat Osman alias Sheikh Farid. In addition, there are seven madrassas which act as Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami (HUJI) centers. Three madrassas near Sylhet, and one at Rangamati also work as recruiting centres. - HUJI has links with the Roshingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO). This came to light, when a tape leaked to a US channel showed RSO militants being trained near Coxâs Bazar.
- Al-Qaeda also reportedly operates a âsleeper cellâ in Rajshahi, which was unearthed three years ago. Bin Laden had reportedly sent his private secretary to attend a HUJI meeting in Rajshahi.
- According to highly placed sources, after Bhutan conducted a massive operation, many United Liberation Front of Assam leaders fled to Bangladesh and tried to liaison with the Bangladesh Islamic Manch.
Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-02-25 |
