Three LeT men who planned to attack US mission held in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Nov 6 : Three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, who had surveyed the area around the US mission in the Bangladesh capital and were allegedly planning to attack it, have been arrested. They had links with the US and Pakistan, media reports said Friday.

The LeT men were caught on information provided by an Indian-born US national and a Pakistan-born US national. The two were arrested in the US recently on charges of attempt to attack various establishments, including embassies and high commissions of the US, Britain and India in different countries, The Daily Star said.

The Detective Branch of police Wednesday night arrested the three terrorists from a madrassa in Chittagong.

They were identified as Mufti Harun Izahar, 33, son of Mufti Izaharul Islam who is the Amir (chief) of a faction of Islami Oikya Jote; Shahidul Islam, 26; and Al Amin alias Saiful, The Daily Star said.

Islami Oikya Jote is an ally of opposition leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina alleged in parliament Thursday that the opposition was supporting religious extremists to foment trouble and bring political instability.

The three militants have reportedly worked also for Harkatul Jihad al Islami (HuJI), another Islamist outfit banned in Bangladesh.

One of the militants claimed that he hailed from the southern Bhola district while another was from the northern Mymensingh area. But they could not show any documents, police officials said.

Deputy Commissioner of DB (South) Md. Monirul Islam told The Daily Star that they had picked up the militants from Lalkhan Bazar madrassa located on the top of a hill and founded by Mufti Izahar.

Monirul Islam said they have the evidence that all the three suspected militants have visited the US embassy area last week as part of their attack plan.

Pakistani nationals Abdur Rahman, detained in Pakistan this week for militant link, and Abdulla Rehan have transferred Tk 600,000 ($10,000) to the account of Mufti Harun's brother Faizur Rahman.

The official said the arrested men had made several calls from their mobile phones to some Pakistani militant leaders.

--IANS