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| Bangladesh |
| 149 out on bail, stay ominous |
| 2009-11-08 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] Law enforcers fear around 150 suspected or convicted militants who are now out of jail may embrace militancy again as there were no motivational programmes in the prisons. Police sources say 149 of those released either on bail or on completion of jail terms were arrested on charge of their link to banned Islamist outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). The sources add some of them were acquitted of the charges as investigators either did not get any evidence of their involvement or failed to prove the charges in the court. Against this backdrop, the police high-ups, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and other intelligence agencies have instructed their forces to keep constant watch on those people so that they cannot be involved in militancy again. "We've already instructed all our units across the country to keep constant watch on those who were arrested on charge of militancy but were released on bail or acquitted of the charges," says Rab intelligence wing Director Lt Col Ziaul Ahsan. Sources in the Special Branch say they have evidence that some of those people have returned to militant activities again. "We'll arrest them and show them arrested in other cases filed for blasting bombs on August 17, 2005 and at other times," says an SB official wishing anonymity. The sources say the law enforcement and intelligence agencies including Rab have so far arrested around 600 militants, mostly linked to JMB, since the August 17 synchronised bomb attacks across the country. The law enforcers and intelligence officials suspect since the militants are out of prisons without receiving any anti-militancy motivation they may not renounce Islamist extremism. Moreover, the present JMB leadership is also trying to take back their old members. A few members of the outfit have already been assigned to arrange legal assistance for the detained activists for this purpose. On October 26, Rab members arrested JMB ehsar member Akbar alias Al Amin, who is in-charge of Bagerhat district. The elite force claims Al Amin was providing financial support to families of the arrested JMB members and maintaining contacts with the operatives who are behind bars. "In absence of motivational programmes in the jails, the accused or convicted militants may not only return to militancy but also brainwash other inmates and persuade them to join in," observes an intelligence agency official. Stressing the need for motivation, he cites the example of JMB Shura (highest policymaking body) member Khaled Saifullah, who took part in the August 17 blasts 10 days into his release from Dinajpur jail. Deputy Inspector General (prisons) Golam Haider admitted there is no special motivational programme for militants in jail. The DIG however said sometimes they motivate JMB members in jail taking special initiatives. When their officials pass through cells meant for JMB militants, they ask the inmates to shun the path of militancy saying Islam does not permit such subversive activities, he explained. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 150 suspected or convicted militants who are now out of jail may embrace militancy again as there were no motivational programmes in the prisons. They must be very good motivational programmes. Zig Zigler outsourcing soon? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-11-08 07:22 |