Staff Reporter :
Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit is yet to find any militancy link with New York (NY) blast suspect Akayed Ullah.
Akayed could have been radicalized after being exposed to contents that promote extremism through the internet while in America. He could be a “Lone Wolf” who engaged in terrorist activities independently.
The CTTC Chief Monirul Islam made the comment while speaking to reporters at Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Media Centre on the city’s Minto Raod on Wednesday.
“Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies are unofficially cooperating with US counterparts, for carrying out a thorough probe of the reported terror attack in NY.”
In Bangladesh we have not found any connection or have not been able to identify any of his associates involved with any terrorist groups.
Akayed had no prior criminal record in Bangladesh. Monirul Islam said that the suspect left the country for USA in 2011, leaving behind his ongoing BBA course in the Dhaka City College.
Akayed asked his wife to read the books written by Jasim Uddin Rahmani, chief of banned militant group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), when he visited his family this September.
Responding to a query about why Akayed is not being considered a mental health patient by the American authorities, Monirul Islam stated that only the US officials are capable of answering this question.
According to the police, Akayed got married in Jigatala in January last year. His father-in-law works in a shop in the city’s Bashundhara shopping mall. Akayed Ullah, who went to New York seven years ago, hailed from Chittagong district.
Akayed, a US resident since 2011, came to Bangladesh to see his family on September 8, spending most of the time at home with their six-month old son, Monirul Islam said.
“Usually, he did not mix with any of his friends or relatives here. Most of the time he spent time in the house. We’re looking for his associates with whom he used to go to college or school with. We’re looking for them, we’ve not identified anyone yet,” he said.
Quoting Akayed’s wife Jannatul Ferdous Jui, the CTTC chief said that Akayed might have been self-radicalised through internet after going to the USA as he had no criminal record in Bangladesh.
The CTTC chief said that Jui also discussed the content of the leaflet with her husband.
Monirul said Akayed followed Islami dress code, rules strictly and offered Namaz regularly during his last visit to Bangladesh.
