Bangladesh announced the arrest on Tuesday of nine members of a militant Islamic group blamed for a series of deadly blasts. Four regional commanders and five militants belonging to Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were detained in northern Syedpur, spokesman for the anti-terrorist Rapid Action Battalion, Mashuk Ahmed, said. He added that 20 kilograms of explosives and 84 detonators were seized in the overnight raids.Police blame the outlawed group for 434 synchronised blasts across the country last August and suicide bombings in urban centres that have killed 28 people including four suicide bombers, and injured hundreds. JMB leaflets calling for strict Islamic law were found at blast sites. Bangladesh, the world's third largest Muslim-majority nation, has pledged to defend the country's secular system against Islamic militantism. Four lawyers and two judges were among those killed in the blasts which have targeted the judiciary.