Bangladeshi forces kill Dhaka cafe terror attack mastermind

Dhaka, Aug 27: Security forces in Bangladesh killed four Islamic terrorists, including the mastermind of the July 1 attack on a cafe here in which 22 people, mostly foreigners, were killed. The chief of police counter-terrorism here said on Saturday (Aug 27), Reuters reported.

The militants were killed during a raid on their hideout in Narayanganj on the outskirts of Dhaka, the unit's head Monirul Islam told Reuters. He said Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury, the Bangladesh-born Canadian citizen and the alleged mastermind of the attack, was among the dead."

The gunfight erupted this morning after police started raiding a building at Naraynganj's Pikeparha," Counter-terrorism Unit's Additional Deputy Commissioner Sanowar Hossain was quoted as saying by the bdnews24.com, PTI reported.

Islam said earlier that the raid was conducted upon information gathered from an arrested operative of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Chowdhury was identified by the police as the mastermind of the attack which also included an Indian girl and two police officers. It was followed by a subsequent assault on the Eid congregation at Sholakia.

According to the police, Chowdhury used to stay in Canada and might have grown a network of financiers abroad before coming to Bangladesh three years ago. The police had announced Tk2 million reward earlier this month seeking information leading to Chowdhury's arrest.

The Islamic State terror outfit claimed responsibility for the cafe attack.

Oneindia News

[With PTI inputs]