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JMB active despite arrest of top brass

Law enforcers fear backlash

Staff Correspondent
Law enforcers fear a backlash from Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) despite detaining the top brass of the banned militant outfit in recent months.
Rab and police officials said the JMB is still a concern for them as some dedicated operatives are active in the organisation. Some of the militants have training on making high-powered explosives like belt bombs.
The JMB is reportedly in a shambles due to arrest of its chief Saidur Rahman, military wing chiefShiblu and acting chief Anwar Alam alias Nazmul over one and a half months since July 12.
The officers said Sohail Mahfuz, who is oldest among three serving JMB Majlish-e-Sura members, might have taken over as its helmsman.
“Sohail Mahfuz is known as an arrogant person. He mightFROM PAGE 16 launch bomb attacks against those he would consider as enemy," said a top Rab official seeking anonymity.
Rab Director General Hassan Mahmood Khandker told The Daily Star yesterday they have kept a grip on JMB activities. Even then, he considers it a potential threat.
Rab sources said there is also a chance that one of two sura members -- Shaheed alias Osman and Dhaka University graduate Siddiqur Rahman alias Mostafiz who worked as an adviser to Saidur - - has assumed the postofJMB ameer.
The JMB stepped into the spotlight as a hardcore militant outfit through synchronised bomb attacks in 63 of 64 districts on August 17,2005.
In subsequent attacks, they killed a number of people including two judges in Jhalakathi.
Since August 17 blasts, crime busters have so far arrested 985 JMB leaders and operatives, including 607 captured by Rab alone.
The arrestees include its founding ameer Shaikh Abdur Rahman who along with his second-in-command Siddiqui
Islam alias Bangla Bhai and four other leaders was executed on March 30,2007.
Police sources said a total of 322 cases were filed with different police stations since the countrywide blasts.
Of the cases, police have submitted charge sheets in 289 cases and final reports in 25 cases. Eighteen of the cases are under investigation.
Trials of 115 cases have been completed in which 51 persons got death sentence, 131 life imprisonment and 184 different terms. Some 318 people have been acquitted and 174 cases are still under trial.
Of the 322, a total of 154 cases were lodged in connection with the August 17 bomb blasts.
Of the cases, detectives have submitted charge sheets in 133 cases and final reports in five cases. Sixteen cases are still under investigation, CID sources said.
The sources also said trials were completed in 81 cases in which 29 accused were sentenced to death, 80 life imprisonment and 79 persons to different terms. Some 57 cases are still under trial.