[Bangla Daily Star] Mufti Jasimuddin Rahmani, the spiritual leader of Ansarullah Bangla Team, had as many as 3,000 followers and over 100 of them believe in armed Jihad (struggle), detectives said."Primary investigation suggests over 100 of his [Jasim's] followers are inclined to engage in armed struggle. Some even took part in armed struggle abroad," Mashiur Rahman, additional deputy commissioner of Detective Branch, told The Daily Star yesterday.
The group even included members of banned krazed killer outfits Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami (HuJI
Founded in 1984 by Fazlur Rehman Khalil and Qari Saifullah Aktar. The Bangla branch was established in 1992 with assistance from Osama bin Laden. Recruits come mostly from Deobandi madrassahs. HuJI and Fazlur Rehman Khalil are signators of bin Laden's declaration of war on the west.
) and Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh, the official added without specifying any name.
"Many of them believe in armed struggle or Jihad and they are under our watch. We're trying to arrest them," said Mashiur, who is leading an investigation and operation against the Ansarullah network.
Jasim had following among different strata of the society, from hawkers to university students, the ADC said.
His followers listened to speeches of prominent al-Qaeda leaders, he said, adding that law enforcers are still unsure as to whether they had any link to the global terror outfit.
Mashiur Rahman, however, said law enforcers would be able to know about the Ansarullah network in detail once Jasimuddin is interrogated during remand.
Barguna police on Monday locked away
... anything you say can and will be used against you, whether you say it or not...
Jasimuddin along with his 30 followers when he was holding a secret meeting in the dead of night at his residence.
Police have appealed to a local court seeking a 10-day remand for the detainees. The hearing on the prayer is scheduled for August 27.
Members of Ansarullah Bangla Team allegedly criminal masterminded the killing of blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider on February 15.
The krazed killers, who follow the idealism of Anwar al-Awlaki
... Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, zapped in Yemen, al-Awlaki was a dual citizen of the U.S. and Yemen. He was an Islamic holy man who was a trainer for al-Qaeda and its franchises. His sermons were attended by three of the 9/11 hijackers, by Fort Hood murderer Nidal Malik Hussein, and
UndieboomerUmar Farouk Abdulmutallab. He was the first U.S. citizen ever placed on a CIA target list...
, "spiritual leader" of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, have campaigned for Jihad through blogs and other online platforms.
They also wrote blog posts on how to make bombs with cheap materials available in the kitchen.
Meanwhile,
...back at the wrecked scow, a single surviver held tightly to the smashed prow...
The Daily Star found that Jasim left the job of Khatib at Hatembagh mosque in the capital's Rayerbazar two years ago as the mosque authorities under political pressure had requested him to avoid "objectionable sermons".
However,
a poor excuse is better than no excuse at all...
the mosque authorities never dared to sack Jasim as they feared reprisal from the "influential people" he could attract through his "electrifying sermons", said locals.
During his longer-than-usual oration, Jasim inspired the mosque-goers to take part in Jihad, said a number of locals, wishing anonymity.
During his sermons after the Jum'a prayers every Friday, his followers used to scream in unison, affirming that they agree to his call for Jihad.
Jasim later joined as a Khatib at a mosque located in a sparsely populated area in Basila of Mohammadpur.