Probe into Holey Artisan attack nearing completion

Investigation into the case relating to July 1, 2016 militant attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery at Gulshan is now at the stage of nearing completion as involvement of 24 operatives of the neo-Jama`atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) have so far been found in the attack.

"We have so far found involvement of 24 neo-JMB operatives in the Holey Artisan attack as investigation into the case is now at the final stage. The charge sheet in the case will be submitted to the court soon," Md Monirul Islam, Chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CCTC), told BSS.

Without specifying the number the CCTC chief said the 24 operatives have so far been found involved in different crimes in the July killing at Holy Artisan restaurant like planning, imparting militancy training and execution while two of them assisted in carrying out the attack.

"Fifteen of the 24 militants have already been killed in encounters with the law enforcers, four of them are in jails, five others are on the run," he said.

The eight killed in anti-militant operations are: Tamim Chowdhury, Nurul Islam Marjan, Major Zahidul Islam, Sarowar Jahan, Tanveer Quaderi, Md Abdullah alias Rony, Abu Rayhan alias Tareq and Faridul Islam Akash.

Three of the four arrestees, Jahangir Alam alias Rajeeb Gandhi, Raqibul Hassan alias Rigan and Mizanur Rahman alias senior Mizan made confessional statement before the court under Section 164, he said.

"We have already received autopsy reports of 20 victims killed in the Gulshan attack and are waiting for six more such reports," the CCTC chief said.

Forensic examinations of different items seized from the spots have already been completed, he added.

Asked about the update of the investigation into the Holy Artisan attack, Md Asaduzzaman Mia, Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said everything from planning to execution of the Holy Artisan attack became clear after a thorough investigation into the matter.

"The charge sheet in the case will be submitted by this year as the investigation is now at the final stage, he said adding that law enforcers are in an intense pursuit of capturing five more militants involved in the attack who are now on the run" the DMP commissioner said. At least 35 people including foreigners, seven militants and two police officers were killed in the Holy Artisan attack on July 1 last year.

Source: BSS