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Download PDF Contradictory information provided by detained leaders of Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (Huji) left investigators of the August 21, 2004 grenade attack clueless about the masterminds of the attack.
The information gleaned from Huji leader Mufti Moinuddin alias Abu Zandal regarding the masterminds does not match with the confessional statement given by Huji boss Mufti Abdul Hannan, said investigators.
Hannan in his confessional statement before a magistrate on November 1 last year said Zandal and another Huji militant Ahsanullah Kajol collected the grenades from Mohammadpur residence of Moulana Tajuddin, the brother of former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu.
Hannan also said that Zandal had attended a meeting at Pintu’s Dhanmondi residence where the plan of the attack was devised.
Although Pintu is a lower tier central leader of BNP, he was nonetheless considered very influential for his good relations with Hawa Bhaban — also known as the “‘alternative powerhouse”‘ during the immediate past elected government’s regime.
Criminal Investigation Department (CID) that is tasked with the investigation of the attack arrested Pintu on January 18 on information that the attack was planned in his residence.
Pintu, during remand, however denied his involvement in the attack.
Ahsanullah Kajol was later killed during an encounter with law enforcers in India.
Contradicting Hannan’s statement, Zandal during quizzing denied collecting the grenades from Tajuddin (now abroad in hiding), said an investigator wishing anonymity.
Zandal also denied attending
the meeting at Pintu’s residence and claimed that Mufti Hannan himself collected the grenades and distributed those among the ones who participated in the attack on an Awami League (AL) rally on August 21, 2004, the source said adding that Zandal was the acting leader of Huji after Hannan was arrested.
The grisly attack on the AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue left 24 AL leaders and activists killed and scores injured.
The investigators believe that Zandal is concealing crucial information in his attempt to mislead the investigators.
To make sure Zandal does not make false statements, he might be interrogated in front of Hannan in jail, if necessary, said the source.
Apart from quizzing Zandal about the August 21 grenade attack case, the investigators are also interrogating him about several consignments of grenades said to have been sent by him to Satkhira, the investigator added.
On February 15, the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) recovered 41 grenades from a bordering village of Satkhira and arrested Huji militant Nazrul Islam Ghorami in this connection.
MORE GRENADES IN HUJI POSSESSION
Investigators are now looking for more consignments of grenades sent to Satkhira by Huji.
Detained Huji militants Moulana Abul Kalam Azad alias Bulbul and Hossain Ahmed alias Tamim earlier told the investigators that Zandal had sent several consignments of grenades to Satkhira.
The investigators interrogating Zandal have so far been unsuccessful in finding any leads regarding the consignments of grenades.
Huji militant Nazrul who was placed on a 10-day remand by a Satkhira court on Sunday admitted that he had received only one consignment of 41 grenades from Zandal.
In their attempt to locate more grenades, the investigators are now interrogating Bulbul and Tamim and verifying their statements with that of Zandal.
The investigators said they would bring Nazrul at the Task Force for Interrogation (TFI) cell in the capital as soon as possible and interrogate him in front of the other three detained Huji militants — Zandal, Bulbul and Tamim.
Bulbul and Tamim were placed on a three-day remand by a Dhaka court on Sunday and were interrogated at the TFI cell yesterday.
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