ZCZC
BSS-34
ARREST-HOLEY-ARTISAN
Shariful attends all preparatory meetings for Holey Artisan attack
DHAKA, Jan 26, 2019 (BSS) – Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) today confirmed
Shariful Islam alias Khalid took part in all meetings alongside with other
top leaders of the banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh
(JMB) as part of the preparation to carry out the Holey Artisan attack.
A day after capturing the last charge-sheeted fugitive accused Khalid in
the Holey Artisan attack case, the battalion in a press release today
confirmed the JMB leader had played a significant role in planning,
collecting money, giving training and selecting attackers.
Khalid attended the meetings held at a hideout under Saghata Police Station
in Gaibandha district and in Dhaka as part of the preparation of carrying out
the Holey Artisan attack on July 1, 2016.
The arrestee, Khalid, who is a death row convicted accused in the case
relating to murder of Prof Rezaul Karim of Rajshahi University, was an
English Department student of the university, it also said.
He joined the militancy after coming into contact with Ahsan Habib alias
Shovon and later he met with top JMB leaders Tamim Chowdhury and Sarwar Jahan
and played a vital role to unite them.
Khalid along with another detained JMB leader Mamunur Rashid alias Ripon
collected Taka 39 lakh for conducting the heinous attack.
Earlier on July 1, 2016, Neo-JMB operatives laid siege to the Gulshan cafe
and killed 20 hostages, including 17 foreigners while two police officers
were also killed in the attack.
Police in their two-year long investigation found involvement of 21
operatives of the Neo-Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in the attack.
But, they submitted charge sheet against eight of the militants before a
Dhaka court on July 23 last year as names of 13 others were dropped as they
had been killed in different anti-militant assaults by the law enforcers.
Five of the 13 militants were killed in the joint operation “Thunderbolt”
led by military in the Holey Artisan Cafe. However, former teacher of North
South University Hasnat Karim was dropped from the charge sheet as his
involvement in the attack was not found.
BSS/ASG-AHJ/FI/ 1910 hrs