Two Ansarullah Bangla Team members caught for trying to join IS

Detectives in Dhaka said they have arrested two members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team planning to join the militant group, Islamic State, fighting in the Middle East.

Asif Adnan, 26, and Md Fazle Elahi Tanzil, 24, were arrested by the police Detective Branch.

Adnan is the son of a former Supreme Court justice, while Tanzil’s mother is a joint secretary (Officer on Special Duty), said a DB official.

The two members of the banned extremist group were arrested from Ramna and Segunbagicha on Wednesday, Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam told reporters at the DMP Media Center on Thursday.

“They were inspired by al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri video message and were planning to go to Turkey and Syria. They wanted to join Jihad and spread their ideologies after returning home.”

“The arrestees come from influential families. One of their associates has come here from the UK to strengthen the al-Qaeda network in Bangladesh,” DB Assistant Commissioner Mahmud Naser Jony said.

A case has been filed against the two at Shahbagh Police Station.