Has the ISIS really infiltrated Bangladesh?

Dhaka, Sept 30: Has the ISIS infiltrated into Bangladesh as well. The presence of this outfit was missing in Bangladesh all these days, but with the ISIS claiming responsibility for the killing of an Italian aid worker in Bangladesh, there are several questions that can be raised.

Three questions crop up in the wake of the ISIS claim. Firstly- is it just a claim to outdo the al-Qaeda and the Ansarullah Bangladesh Team (ABT) which has been responsible for the killing of bloggers? Secondly- has the ISIS really managed to penetrate into Bangladesh? Third- is it an attempt by the ABT to take the heat away in the wake of the crackdown by the Bangladesh agencies?

Is the claim for real?

The ISIS has been gaining in popularity and strength in parts of Afghanistan. Security experts say that the primary agenda of the ISIS for the region is to set up a strong module in Afghanistan and outdo the Taliban.

The ISIS has gained most in strength in the Nagarhar area where it has managed to push the Taliban back.

In Bangladesh, the al-Qaeda which has teamed up with the ABT and has claimed responsibility for a series of killings.

The ABT and the AQ are spreading a reign of fear among the people by issuing fatwas in a bid to set up an Islamic Calipahate. The ISIS sees an opportunity in Bangladesh and realizes that it could set up a module in order to achieve its dream of setting up a Caliphate.

The claim by the ISIS that it killed the Italian Cesare Tavella, 50 could well be just an announcement. The Bangladesh police are verifying this claim and has so far not confirmed whether the ISIS is behind it.

Has the ISIS infiltrated into Bangladesh:

The next question is whether the ISIS has really infiltrated into Bangladesh. The ISIS is not known to have any major ally in Bangladesh. Let us take a look at the ISIS' allies in this part of the world first.

In Pakistan, the ISIS has the support of the Tehrik-e-Taliban, Tehreek-e-Khilafat and the Ismamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

In Afghanistan it garners support from the Heroes of Islam Brigade in Khorasan and the al-Tawheed Brigade in Khorasan. In India the ISIS has the support of the Ansar-ul-Tawhid or the erstwhile Indian Mujahideen.

These alliances clearly point towards the fact that the ISIS does not have any known allies in Bangladesh.

Teaming up with the ABT is out of the question as they owe allegiance to the al-Qaeda. The killing of Tavella could well be the work of a lone wolf or a team of persons in a bid to announce their arrival in Bangladesh.

By making such a claim there is a possibility that some disgruntled elements in the al-Qaeda and the ABT may pledge their support to the ISIS, thus signaling the beginning of the outfit in Bangladesh.

Is it a ploy to avoid heat:

The ABT has been under the scanner ever since the killings of the bloggers. There has been outrage across the world and the security of writers and atheists has come under question.

The Shaikh Hasina government has ordered a merciless crackdown on the members of the ABT like it did in the case of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh.

The ABT on the other hand needs to keep the ball rolling and any signs of stopping their campaign could well lead to their followers believing it is a sign of weakness.

However, on the other hand they would not want to take responsibility at this moment as the heat is too high on them. It could also well be a ploy to blame the ISIS for the killing as an attention diverting tactic.

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