Amir Hamza among 5 indicted for instigating militancy

Amir Hamza confessed he instigated general people to ‘adopt seditious activities’ while delivering religious sermons, the case documents say

The police Counter Terrorism Investigation Division has indicted five suspects, including religious orator Amir Hamza, for instigating militancy.

They filed the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act with the Darus Salam Police Station.

Amir Hamza used to travel across the country on a Pajero jeep attempting to ‘strengthen’ the banned militant outfit Ansar Al Islam, according to the case documents. He used to work to ‘establish Islamic Shariah-based law’ and ‘hamper public security and create public panic.’

Inspector Kazi Mizanur Rahman submitted the documents to the court, which indicted all suspects on Mar 28. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Anisur Rahman of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police shared the information on the indictment Wednesday.

Besides Amir Hamza, the other suspects indicted were Mehedi Hasan, Waliunnabi Sabuj, md Kader Kibria Sagar and M Zubayer Ahmed.

Police, however, recommended the acquittals of Md Asaduzzaman Asad, Tasnimul Karim Rizvi, and Abdullah Al Amin as they were not found to be involved despite being named in the case.

Amir Hamza confessed during an interrogation that he had instigated the public to ‘adopt seditious activities’ while delivering religious sermons, the case documents. He also worked to ‘disrupt’ public security and instigated people to take part in ‘Jihad’.

Another suspect Zubayer Ahmed “accepted membership of banned militant outfit Ansar Al Islam, supported their ideology, drafted plans for sabotage and tried to implement those plans,” the case documents said.

Sub Inspector Md Moklesur Rahman of the counter-terrorism unit filed the case on Oct 24, 2020.

A group of people gathered near the Gabtali Inter-district Bus Terminal for a secret meeting, the case dossier said. A team from the counter-terror unit raided the location based on a tip. Most of those gathered managed to flee, but one of them was apprehended.

On May 5, 2021, a 22-year-old named Abu Saqib aka Al Amin was arrested in front of Dhaka’s National Parliament area.

He informed the police he was a member of the banned militant organisation Ansar Al Islam.

Saqib said he was planning to attack the parliament building with a sword after being provoked by Hamza’s sermons.

Hamza was arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes unit on May 24, 2021, on charges of spreading extremism among the youth through his religious sermons.

He was shown arrested in two cases filed against him under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Dhaka’s Darus Salam and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police stations.

Hamza was released on bail from Kashimpur High-Security Central Jail in Gazipur after he was granted bail in those two cases.