[Dhaka Tribune] A new Islamic State...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling
Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not
reallyMoslems....
publication has featured an article on the July 1 Gulshan cafe attack ostensibly written by Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury, who was killed during a police operation in Narayanganj on August 27.
Interestingly, the byline of the article, published in the second issue of IS’ Rumiyah magazine, says: "Abu Dujanah al-Bangali (Tamim Chowdhury), Former Head of Military and Covert Operations of the Soldiers of Khilafah in Bengal."
Police on several occasions referred to Tamim as Abu Ibrahim al-Hanif, before and after he was bumped off during the so-called Operation Hit Strong 27. Two other suspected Lions of Islam were killed in the drive.
The multilingual magazine released late Tuesday night also published an infographic of 24 out of 26 attacks the IS supporters have carried out in Bangladesh since September last year. The victims include foreigners, non-Moslem and non-Sunni preachers, law enforcers and a university professor.
| A useful little backgrounder on Mr. Chowdhury can be seen at the link. His family lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. |
On September 23, IS released its second Bangla video featuring as heroes the five Gulshan attackers ‐ Nibras Islam, Rohan Imtiaz, Khairul Islam Payel, Shafiqul Islam Uzzal and Meer Saameh Mubasser who were killed in a commando operation on July 2.
The Lions of Islam in the video, believed to be recorded sometime before the Gulshan attack, made statements justifying their stance, and criticising the democratic system and politicians. They also came down heavily on the Islamic scholars for resisting Moslems from joining the armed jihad of the Islamic State.
The home minister reacted: "I have said it before there is no organizational existence and leader of IS in Bangladesh. The video footage has been released as part of a conspiracy against Bangladesh."
The New JMB, which, according to police, works as the Islamic State affiliate in Bangladesh has lost 31 of its members in raids while two killed themselves since November last year.
Detectives claim that local Lions of Islam close to banned outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh formed the New JMB group to create anarchy and terrorise foreigners in the country. The IS aims at establishing Shariah law in the country and use Bangladesh as its base to launch attacks in Myanmar and India.
After Tamim’s death, counter-terrorism officials claimed that the strength of New JMB had almost waned. The detectives are now looking for the field-level coordinator, financiers and arms suppliers for the July 1 attack.
They said that Tamim had been assisted by a top JMB leader, Abul Kashem alias Boro Huzur. Known as a great religious preacher working at the Okharabari Madrasa of Dinajpur, Kashem mainly helped Tamim to reunite the JMB members.