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| Bangladesh |
| Avijit murdered by professional killers |
| 2015-02-28 |
| [Dhaka Tribune] The attack on author Avijit Roy and his wife was carried out by professional machete-wielding killers in a premeditated manner, Sherlocks have said, adding that initial leads suggest that fundamentalist Lions of Islam were behind the killing. "Two persons took part in the killing mission that lasted around two minutes. From the spot [of the killing], we have collected two machetes and a handbag; but both of the machetes' handles were wrapped in paper, so it was not possible to get any fingerprint from it," Shirjaul Islam, officer-in-charge of Shahbagh cop shoppe, told the Dhaka Tribune. Quoting witnesses, the OC said the two assailants were aged between 30 and 35 years; one of them was wearing a white shirt and black trouser and the other wearing a grey coat. "Soon after the incident, they just disappeared. The murder would not have been possible without backup support, and we are suspecting that the killers might have had other associates nearby as they had carried out the killing in a preplanned way," Shirajul said. Based on previous incidents and analysing the method of the attack, the police was now investigating myrmidon links to the killing, the OC added. Avijit, 45, was hacked to death and his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonna, 35, was maimed in an attack by person or persons unknown near the TSC roundabout on Thursday night. Bonna is currently being treated at the capital's Square Hospital. She is reportedly in a stable, but critical condition. Meanwhile, ...back at the shouting match, a new, even louder, voice was to be heard... as per Avijit's wishes, his body will now be handed over to the Dhaka Medical College for medical research, said the slain author's cousin Bishnu Roy. Family sources said Avijit -- a naturalised US citizen who lived in the US state of Georgia -- came to Bangladesh with his wife on February 15 after two new books by him were published at the Ekushey Book Fair. Since arriving in Dhaka, the author, who rose to prominence with his Bangla-language blog site Mukto-mona, had been visiting the book fair every day -- reportedly staying there until the end of business hours. During this period, the perpetrators might have monitored the movement of Avijit to plan the attack, Shahbagh OC Shirajul said. An inquest report has also found that the main target of the culprits was to murder Avijit, he added. Militant group claims responsibility Only hours after the death of the author and blogger, the responsibility of the crime was claimed by a Twitter account reportedly belonging to "Ansar Bangla 7" - a group believed to be an Islamist outfit. "Allahu Akbar..A great success today here in #Bangladesh. Target is Down -:- here in #Dhaka," read the tweet by the group. "Anti-Islamic blogger US-Bengali citizen Avijit Roy is assassinated in capital Dhaka due to his crime against #Islam," another tweet also followed soon after. Acknowledging the tweet, Ramna division's Assistant Commissioner of police SM Shibli Noman told the Dhaka Tribune that Sherlocks were considering myrmidon involvement as the prime lead, as the method of attack was almost similar to the previous attacks on another blogger -- Ahmed Rajib Haider -- and author Prof Humayun Azad. |
| Posted by:Fred |