IS suspect Hamdan to remain in jail after bail denial

A Dhaka court has refused bail to Samiun Rahman Ibn Hamdan arrested for his alleged ties to militant group Islamic State (IS).

The 24-year old British citizen of Bangladesh origin was arrested from Dhaka on Sept 28.

A court had remanded him in police custody for three days.

He will have to remain in jail as Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrates court refused him bail on Sunday.

Hamdan has been charged with attempting to recruit members for IS and send them to Syria. He also aimed at setting up al-Qaeda network in Bangladesh and Myanmar and establish Islamic rule in Bangladesh.

According to police, he had gone to Turkey from the UK with a friend to join the IS. He took part in the so called 'jihad' there from September to December last year.

Sunni insurgent group IS rapidly rose to prominence this year with its capture of vast swathes of Syria and Iraq and declared a Khilafat in the captured area.

It has over 31,000 fighters. Over half of them come from 80 different countries. The European Union has said at least 3,000 Europeans are fighting for IS.

During Sunday's hearing, Hamdan claimed he was neither involved with IS nor was he arrested at Kamalapur.

According to him, he was arrested at his village home at Habiganj's Nabiganj several days ago.

The defence counsel claimed Hamdan was innocent and that he could not be linked to any terror group.

"Samiun Ibn Hamdan's rights have been violated," Masud Ahmed Talukder claimed.