DHAKA - Bangladesh announced the arrest on Tuesday of nine members of a militant Islamic group blamed for a series of deadly blasts. Four regional commanders and five militants belonging to Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were detained in northern Syedpur, spokesman for the anti-terrorist Rapid Action Battalion, Mashuk Ahmed, said. He added that 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of explosives and 84 detonators were seized in the overnight raids. | Any suspected arms caches they might lead you to in the wee hours of the morning? |
Bangladesh, the worldÂ’s third largest Muslim-majority nation, has pledged to defend the countryÂ’s secular system against Islamic militantism. Four lawyers and two judges were among those killed in the blasts which have targeted the judiciary.
The government has mobilised thousands of police and troops to search for members of the JMB, led by Afghan war veteran Shaikh Abdur Rahman, and recently pledged cooperation with the US on counter-terrorism measures. Police earlier arrested the groupÂ’s military head and chief coordinator of the suicide bombings at a Dhaka hideout. At least 800 other suspected militants have been arrested and police have filed more than 180 cases against JMB members.