Islamic militants target justice system
Yesterday, the latest in a series of dynamite attacks targeted a courthouse while a protest by the country's lawyers was under way; the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen group wants to install Islamic law in the country and is threatening to strike foreign NGOs too. The government has not reacted and is mooting the hypothesis of an "international conspiracy".
Dhaka (AsiaNews) The Bangladesh police have arrested more than 15 suspects in connection with the latest in a series of dynamite attacks which hit Gazipur yesterday. The blast, which went off outside a building housing a court, left one person dead and 29 wounded. This was the second attack within the week iin the city situated north of the capital Dhaka, after one on Tuesday which killed seven people.
Police have blamed the attacks on the banned Islamic organization, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB), which aims to introduce Islamic law in Bangladesh, a Muslim majority country governed by secular law. One of the suspected attackers, who was wounded and arrested, was found with JMB flyers on his person. The name of the youth is Abdur Razzak, aged 25. At the moment, 17 men arrested in six different districts are in custody, while police arrested 50 suspects in connection with Tuesday's attack.
The JMB has been targeting judicial systems, lawyers and police for weeks now. Yesterday schools and offices did not open in response to a strike called by lawyers in the country, who were asking for more security.
The government, criticized by the opposition for its "complicity" with Islamic militants, has countered recent attacks with a theory about an international conspiracy. The premier, Khaleda Zia, said yesterday that "the terrorism of bombs is part of a conspiracy against the country to stop its development and deprive it of friendships".
Since 17 August, when 500 blasts went off simultaneously across the country, Bangladesh has been subject to periodic attacks by Islamic militants.
The JMB seems to prey on the justice system first and foremost, but experts say they may widen their choice of targets to include even non-governmental organizations. On the site of a blast on 2 October, a document called "Invitation to the Islamic Jihad" was found, including encouragements to government officials, police, judges and NGOs to apply Islamic law.
Flyers found on the scene of bomb blasts in August called for the expulsion of foreign NGOs, "committed to anti-Islamic activities in Muslims countries".
Among the latest threats of the JMB is to bring about bloodshed on the upcoming "Martyred Intellectuals Day" which will be marked on 14 December to commemorate the memory of intellectuals killed by the Pakistanis in 1971 during the independence war. They have threatened likewise for "Victory Day" on 16 December when independence from Pakistan is celebrated.
.png)
06/03/2006
