Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahmani is chief of the Al Qaeda affiliated,[1] radical Islamist organization Ansarullah Bangla Team.[2] He was in custody in Bangladesh charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act.[3] He advocated the murder of atheists.[4]
| Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahmani | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | hewlibuniya, barguna |
| Occupation | Head of Ansarullah Bangla Team |
| Parents | Noor Hawlader |
Militant activity
editHe was the Imam of Hatembagh Jame Masjid in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[5] He studied in madrasas in Bangladesh and outside the country. He was inspired by Al-Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki. He used to preach his message on a website called "Ansarulla Bangla Team" whose servers are located in Pakistan. Ansarullah Bangla Team was responsible for the murder of a number of secular activist in Bangladesh.[6] He has a madrassa located in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. The Madrasa was visited by students from Dhaka University and North South University. Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis was a regular at the Madrasa, he is currently in prison in the United States for trying to bomb the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.[7]
Arrest and release
editMuhammad Jasimuddin Rahmani was arrested on 12 August 2013 from Barguna, Bangladesh along with 30 members of his organisation for inciting people to commit violent jihad.[8][7] He was sentenced to a five-year prison sentence.[9]
The Bangladesh Interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus granted bail in all terrorism related cases, and released Rahmani in August 2024.[10][11] He had been in jail over the murder of Ahmed Rajib Haider.[11]
References
edit- ^ "Ansarullah's Gazipur chief, another held". Dhaka Tribune. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ "Foreign ties to Gulshan attack under scrutiny". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ "Court accepts charges against ABT chief, 9 others". The Daily Star. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ "Two sentenced to death for Bangladesh blogger murder". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ Anand, Geeta; Manik, Julfikar Ali (8 June 2016). "Bangladesh Says It Now Knows Who's Killing the Bloggers". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ "Preaching militancy, building network". The Daily Star. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ a b Khan, Tamanna; Das, Subir (14 August 2013). "Progressive force its prime target". The Daily Star. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ "Bangladesh's Ansarullah Bangla Team – Analysis". Eurasia Review. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ "3 militant leaders' trial awaits government nod". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ "Ansarullah Bangla Team chief freed on bail". The Daily Star. 2024-08-27. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
- ^ a b "Ansarullah chief Mufti Jasim, jailed over murder of blogger Rajib, freed on bail". Bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2024-08-26.