At least 26 members of suicide squads of militant outfits including Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Harkat-ul-jihad (HuJi) were trained and seven training camps were run in Jhenidah till August 17 this year since 1999, a deserter claimed.| I'm still trying to sort the Bangla structure out. I'm guessing, though I have no evidence for it, that JMB is a spinoff from HUJI, which was one of the original signators of Binny's declaration of war against us. Dan, Paul, or John might have more information or detail... |
The youth who deserted HuJi said members of the suicide squads were recruited from different upazilas in Jhenidah. They are hiding since the August 17 serial bomb blasts across the country, he told this correspondent. Eleven of the suicide squad members are from Jhenidah Sadar upazila, seven from Shailakupa, five from Kaliganj, and three from Harinakundu upazila. There are at least 145 JMB and HuJi cadres in Jhenidah, according to the deserter who also got trained.
The youth also told this correspondent that the chief of another Islamist militant outfit Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla bhai along with JMB 'military commander' Ataur Rahman Sunny went to Jhenidah between November 29 and December 2 and stayed for about a week at a house in Arabpur area in the town. Sunny however was arrested by RAB in the capital on December 14.
| I'm also confused on the relationship between JMB and JMJB. They seem at this stage to be interchangeable. |
Jhenidah police however termed the story of Bangla Bhai and Sunny's visit to Jhenidah a 'propaganda' and denied existence of suicide bombers or any militant camps there. "It is not likely that Bangla bhai and Sunny visited Jhenidah when bounties have been announced and police hunt is on to nab them", Jhenidah Police Superintendent Akram Hossain told this correspondent. The SP also denied existence of militants' training camp there now. The deserter claimed that training of JMB and HuJi cadres started in Jhenidah in 1999 and was on till August this year. Militants kingpin Mufti Abdul Hannan used to supervise HuJi training camps while JMB 'military commander' Ataur Rahman Sunny was directly involved in training JMB cadres when he was a student of Daw'ah and Islamic Studies in Kushtia Islamic University in 1998-1999 session.