Dhaka cafe attack: Commandos may have killed hostage by mistake

| Updated: Friday, July 8, 2016, 14:22 [IST]

Dhaka, July 8: It was last Friday, July 1 when terrorists stormed into the Holey Artisan Cafe in Dhaka and took over 20 hostages, an attack termed as the worst Banlgadesh has ever witnessed.

While, the security officials managed to rescue 13 hostages, 20 of them were killed. Officials also gunned down six terrorists and captured one alive, whom they are yet to interrorgate.

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Dhaka: Officials may have killed hostage

However, now reports suggest that Bangladeshi security forces may have gunned down one hostage by mistake. According to a report in Al-Jazeera, commandos may have accidently shot a kitchen staff while rescuing hostages.

Saiful Islam Chowkidar, a pizza chef at the cafe was among the six who were killed by the security forces. A top police official is said to have told Reuters: "We had killed six people in the restaurant. A case has been registered against five. The sixth man was a restaurant employee, Saiful Islam."

"He may not be invloved," the official added.

Five attackers were named by officials- Nibras Islam, Rohan Imtiaz, Meer Saameh Mubasheer, Khairul Islam and Shafiqul Islam- to launch official investigations in the attack.

Three out of the five are said to be from wealthy families and had a good educational background.

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Bangladesh misread warnings on social media

Meanwhile, it is also said that Bangladeshi officials misinterpreted messages on social media about the attack. "This was the first time in Bangladesh such a thing had taken place. Nobody was prepared for it. They did not realise the gravity of the situation initially," an official said.

Auhtorities who monitor social media saw several messages warning them of an attack but police thought that the attack would most likely be on embassies and major hotels. No one suspected that the attackers would target Holey Artisan Cafe.

The ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack but officials deny the claim stating that it was carried out by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, a home grown terrorist outfit.

OneIndia News