Bombs, explosives found during raid on Chittagong 'militant den'

Police have seized crude bombs, explosives, machetes and bomb-making materials during a raid on a house in Chittagong.

The raid was conducted based on information gathered in initial interrogation of two militant suspects arrested after the attack on a police check post in Comilla.

Chittagong's Superintendent of Police Nure Alam Mina said a team of counterterrorism officers and Comilla police sealed the two-storey building around 11pm on Tuesday.

An officer of Mirsharai police, on condition of anonymity, told bdnews24.com that the building at the Upazila town's College Road was cordoned off in the morning.

A counterterrorism officer in Dhaka, also wishing to remain anonymous, told bdnews24.com,"Those who have been arrested in Comilla yesterday, had been in that Mirsharai house. Explosives have been found in that house during the raid."

He said the raid concluded at 2pm and that counterterrorism officers were conducting raids in several other places.

Later, counter-terrorism unit Deputy Commissioner Mohibul Islam told bdnews24.com that “evidence suggest members of radical group Neo-Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB) made bombs at the house.”

No one was detained in the raid. SP Mina said the others at the house fled after the arrest of 'Mahmudul' in Comilla on Tuesday. Police raided the house on information given by Mahmudul.

After the raid, SP Mina said 29 crude bombs, nine machetes, 280 packets of ball bearings and 40 of explosive gel were found at the house.

Counter-terror unit's Mohibul said Mahmudul identified himself as a ‘clothe-trader’ while renting the house in February.

He identified the others as his sister, sister-in-law and niece. "They fled after Mahmudul's arrest in Comilla," SP Mina said.

Counter-terror unit Additional Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mannan said police suspect that top Neo-JMB leader 'Musa' visited the house several times.

"The militants used the house as a hideout, and they hid here several times," he added.

On Tuesday, two suspected militants hurled bombs at policemen during a routine search of a bus in Comilla's CHandina on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway.

"When the police were going through the documents, two men came down from the bus and hurled bombs shouting 'Allahu Akbar.' No one was injured as the bombs did not explode," a police official said on Tuesday.

Police said one of the two men ran immediately after hurling bombs. Police managed to nab him with help from the locals. The other one threatened to explode a bomb in his hand but was later caught.

Police said the two were coming from the hill tract district of Bandarban and that six more crude bombs were found in their possession.