Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) identified 33 out of the 55 youths, who left their houses to join JamaatulAnsar Phil HindalSharqiya, a new militant organization.
RAB has already arrested 12 militants out of the 33 identified Islamist terrorists. However, the remaining 21 militants are still absconding.
RAB's Legal and Media Wing Director Commander Khandaker Al Moin disclosed this information at a press conference at RAB Media Centre in the capital on Thursday after arresting four new militants.
RAB could learn this information after analysing the video content containing extremist statements of JamaatulAnsar Phil HindalSharqiyar Amir Anisur Rahman alias Mahmud and Abdullah Maimun, head of Dawati branch and fund collection.
Recently, RAB arrested 4 more people who were taking training in the CHT. A new video was recovered from Al Amin.
Commander Khandaker Al Moin said that a video was recovered from Masukur Rahman, the head of the military wing of the new militant organization, who was arrested on January 23. A total of 29 militants were identified in that video. A new video of 7-minute duration was recovered on February 28 where RAB identified 23 more militants. Out of these 23, 19 militants were also present in the previous video, while 4 new militants were found. The new four have been identified as Sheikh Ahmed Mamun, Shamim Mia, Nizam Uddin Hiron and DrZahirul Islam alias Ahmed.
According to the information of the video, DrZahirul died on June 6 last year.
He said that a total of 33 people in the training camp of militants have been identified in the two videos and 12 of them have been arrested. The operation will continue to arrest the rest.
Regarding the new video, he said that this video may have been created mainly to collect money and new members. On the other hand, after any major militant attack in the country, this video can also be used to show the existence of the militant group in domestic and international level.
The RAB official said, details about the video could be known if Amir of the organisation is arrested.
In response to a question, the RAB official further said, initially it was learnt that the video was in their mobile phone since last November. The editing work of the video was in progress. But in the meantime, RAB operation started.
So far the existence of the videos has not been found on social media. They distributed these video clips within their secret group. It may be used to make their existence after a sabotage. However, the arrested militants said that the Amir of the organization will decide on this matter. But the video was being used to attract new members and raise money for militancy.
In response to a question about the head of the new militant organisation, he said that Shamin is the main coordinator for the training of members of the organization in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The organisation had started operations in 2017. But it was renamed in 2019-2020. Roxy was the first Amir of the organisation. But after Roxy's arrest in 2021, Shamim was given the responsibility of Amir.
When asked whether the new organisation had plans for sabotage, he said that the last four arrested had instructions to hide in the plain land area. That's why they walked from the mountains for 4 days to reach the city of Bandarban. They had planned to go to Chittagong separately. Now it will be confirmed in the next interrogation whether they were just hiding or had some other sabotage plans.
RAB's ongoing operations have so far arrested 59 militants of the new militant outfit and 17 KNF members on charges of assisting them in their training. Besides, 2 members of the organisation were deradicalised and handed over to their families.