Acting JMB chief, 6 members arrested

Seven members of the banned Islamist outfit, Jamaa'tul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), including its acting chief Abdullah Al Tasnim alias Nahid, have been arrested from Dhaka's Turag neighbourhood with a huge cache of explosives, police say.

Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police made the arrests on Thursday night from the Ashlulia Landing Station Parking area.

Police identified others as Md Naim Ali, 28, Md Sikandar Ali alias Noki, 25, Mahmud Ibn Bashar, 23, Md Masum Billah, 26, Fuad Hasan, 18, and Ali Ahmed, 24.

DMP Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman said 29-year old Tasnim was leading the outfit in absence of its chief Saidur Rahman, who is currently behind bars.

Tasnim is the brother of Abdul Al Sohel, a death row convict in the Gazipur court bombing case.

Rahman said they had recovered 10 kilogrammes of chemicals used for manufacturing explosives, four brass idols, JMB pamphlets and books.

"We have information that they were planning a large-scale sabotage," the police spokesperson said. "The JMB members were plotting to attack important persons and establishments in the country."

They had already contacted the Middle East-based radical organisation, Islamic State, police said.