The 2012’s failed Army coups; one of the major men behind the scene, Major (suspended) Syed Md. Ziaul Huq is the new armed branch leader of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). Detectives claimed, it is fugitive Zia who is behind the planning and execution of murders of bloggers-writers and pro-secular activists. Although Al-Qaeda’s Bangladesh branch took the responsibility of blogger murders in the disguise of “Ansar-Al-Islam”. But Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) becomes the identity and work of that particular team in Bangladesh-as per the opinion of local detectives.

Detective officials unwilling to disclose identity have told us, after the failed army coup Zia was hiding and silent. He later became active in Islamic militancy. He is staying in Dhaka and activating the whole militant organizations. And for this purpose he is getting help from external (foreign) intelligence branches. They do have communication with Zia and they use different symbolic intelligence language and signs.

The detective source also claimed, under the leadership of fugitive Zia there are other branches that are using names of international terrorist organizations planning many more murders. Basically if Zia is caught the ABT will be leaderless.

Asked on this very issue, Dhaka Mohanagar Police (DMP) militant mitigation cell head and Additional Commissioner Monirul Islam replied to Daily Kaler Kontho,”Major (suspended) Zia is leading Ansarullah Bangla Team’s armed branch by staying inside the country, that news we got from our sources. We are trying to arrest him. The bloggers are murdered by Ansarullah.” The arrested member of ABT already informed detectives that, to execute Zia’s plan there are more than 200 ABT members active inside the country. They all went through “armed training or army like training”. Although they are using machete for murder but they do carry fire arms. During the killing of USAID officer Xulhas Mannan and and his friend Mahbub Tonoy they used machete but were carrying firearms too.

The detective source also confirmed that in 10th January 2012’s failed army coup Zia went underground. In the beginning he was hiding in Dhaka at a businessman’s place. Then from time to time he hid himself into Chittagong, Rangamati, Teknaf-Cox’s Bazar etc. He hid himself and coordinated and kept up organizational activities inside the country. He was employed at intelligence branch’s counter-surveillance; so he is still managing to hide out due to the inside information he possesses.

Police and RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) information suggest, he was once in Dhaka’s Badda, Mirpur, Mohammadpur etc. area during his ongoing fugitive timeline. Leader`s and member’s house of Banned Hijbut Tahrir, messes of university students and even slums became his temporary hideout places. After the army coup had come our unsuccessful, , he stayed in house of Middle Badda in Dhaka. Hijbut Tahrir member Ahmed Rafique was close to him and he provided him shelter. Ahmed Rafique lives in Middle Badda in a five storey flat with full family. Rafique’s family members provided some information to Daily Kaler Kontho earlier. Rafique’s mother Lily Begum told, on 25th December, 2012 Zia came to their house, he was looking for shelter from Rafique.

When asked” Does failure of arresting Zia is intelligence failure?” detectives replied that they are trying to catch him. But few of the detectives believe Zia has very good connection inside the law-enforcement groups. He has very good link with foreign intelligence agencies as well. Besides that 10 truck arms case perpetrators are also supporting Zia in everything.

Translated by Redwanul Islam

Source: kalerkantho