Saw no signs of militancy in Akayed, says his mother-in-law

Mahfuza Akhtar, the mother-in-law of the Bangladeshi man arrested for allegedly attempting to detonate a suicide bomb in New York City, says her son-in-law should be investigated before his guilt is determined.

“Let the matter be probed to see if my son-in-law is guilty,” she said. “If he is guilty, the law will take its course.”

The police counterterrorism unit, which had previously taken Akayed’s wife and her parents in for questioning, have also summoned his brother-in-law.

On Monday morning a wounded Akayed was arrested at a busy bus terminal in New York City’s Manhattan following an explosion.

US officials say he had detonated an explosive tied to his body. They believe Akayed attempted the bombing after being inspired by the Islamic State.

The 27-year-old Bangladeshi was charged in a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan federal court with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organisation, bombing a public place, destruction of property by means of explosive and use of a destructive device.

Born in Chittagong, Akayed was raised in Dhaka’s Hazaribagh. He went to the US seven years ago and initially worked as a taxi cab driver before shifting careers to work as an electrician for a housing company.

After the incident, Bangladesh police began an investigation into Akayed and found the home of Akayed’s wife and her parents in Dhaka’s Zigatala. They later detained his wife Jannatul Ferdous, her father Zulfiqar Haider and her mother Mahfuza Akhtar.

bdnews24.com spoke to Mahfuza Akhtar at her Zigatala home on Wednesday afternoon.

They had not noticed any indications of militant tendencies in Akayed previously, she said.

“I would not have allowed by daughter to marry him if there were any signs ... but now they are facing trouble.”

The marriage was arranged by the families, Akhtar said. Akayed would regularly send money from New York for his wife and child. But he did not send any more after his visit in February, she said.

Akhtar says she would be willing to take him back if he returned to Bangladesh. No one from the US has contacted them, she said.

Akhtar’s husband works at a jewellers shop in Bashundhara City. Her son Hafiz Mahmud Joy works at a mobile phone shop in the same shopping complex.

Jannatul Ferdous, Akayed’s wife, says the two were married last year. She cannot believe her husband would be involved in such an incident.

There was nothing unusual about his behaviour when he came to see their son in September, she said.

Ferdous says she called Akayed at 5am New York time on Monday to ‘wake him up for work’.

She says it was the last time she spoke to him.

The police counterterrorism unit has called Akayed’s brother-in-law Hafiz Mahmud Joy to the Detective Branch offices for questioning on Wednesday.

“We are trying to gather information on Akayed,” the unit’s chief Monirul Islam told bdnews24.com. “If necessary we will call his wife and in-laws in for questioning again.”