Investigators from the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) in Dhaka, allied with police from Rajshahi, Bogra and Gopalganj, seized a huge trove of evidence during a raid on the house and madrasa of the militant kingpin Muhammad Asadullah Al Galib at Naodapara yesterday.
Galib himself remains under questioning at the JIC in Dhaka, although no details could be obtained.
In other developments, an unnamed Islamist militant group has been implicated by a three-member probe body investigating the February 16 grenade attack on a Brac office at Darsana, Rangpur.
The law enforcers, amid tight security, raided the offices of monthly At-Tahreek at Galib's home and of Ahle Hadith Jubo Sangha (AHJS), Salafi Madrasa and its student hostels for three hours beginning at 2:00pm.
The evidence seized from Galib's property includes several computer hard disks, SIM cards from two mobile phone sets, several large volumes on jihad and military training, books on activities of Ahle Hadith Andlon Bangladesh (Ahab) and AHJS, as well as official documents, including correspondence from Ahab, AHJS and Salafi madrasa. Police took away the recovered goods in several large bags, some of which might be to JIC, said sources. Two investigators from JIC also participated in the raids.
Asked if the documents can legally be given to JIC, a source said the investigating officials concerned will carry the documents to JIC only to use them as exhibits before court.
Top police officials remained tight-lipped about the raid but confirmed they did not find any arms or ammunition.
Earlier, a metropolitan magistrate's court in Rajshahi issued a search warrant after police Inspector Ahsanullah of Bogra submitted a prayer following a requisition from Kotalipara Police Station (PS) of Gopalganj and Gabtali PS of Bogra.
Newsmen and photojournalists were not allowed to enter the compound, and were even barred from walking on Rajshahi Road, on which the madrasa and Ahab offices are situated.
Meanwhile, the three-member probe body investigating the grenade attack on the Rangpur office of Brac on February 16 submitted a
report to Rangpur police super last Sunday indicating the involvement of an Islamist militant group, our correspondent in Rangpur reports.
The body, headed by Additional Police Superintendent Rafiqul Islam, did not disclose the name of the militant group when it submitted its investigation report to the police super Sunday, 11 days after its formation.
One of the probe-body members said on condition of anonymity that the body cannot name the Islamist group because there are no witnesses to the incident. But, due to the letters 'JMG' inscribed on the cover of the grenades, the probe body concluded that the planned attack might have been the act of an Islamist militant group.
Meanwhile, the Detective Branch of police and four other agencies have been interrogating two Jamaetul Mujahedeen members for six days, but have failed to bring out any information regarding the members' involvement in antistate activities.