AN attempted terrorist attack in a New York City bus terminal by a US national of Bangladesh origin has caused widespread surprise and condemnation here and also in the Bangladesh community in the USA. The person Akayed Ullah at his 27 is a taxi driver in New York City and as per some media reports he may have acted alone as an angry reaction when Muslims are agitating against President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel. It appears he has no record of involvement in extremist activities back home in Bangladesh or in the USA where his Brooklyn neighbours say he was always a peaceful and decent man.
He has however claimed to have link with IS thinking through internet and his actions seems to have resulted from extreme mental sadness. He learned bomb making from downloading internet materials and attempted to blow a pipe bomb which failed to properly explode hurting him seriously. Two other persons also received minor injuries.
US prosecutors on Tuesday brought federal charges against Akayed Ullah accusing him of supporting a foreign terrorist organization. Meanwhile Bangladesh police has carried out anti-terrorism investigation interrogating his family members and relatives in Dhaka city and at Chittagong, the place he hails from. They have told New York police that they have not found any connection to militancy or have not been able so far to identify any of his associates who were or are involved with any terrorist groups. A US law enforcement official said they have found evidence that Ullah had watched Islamic State propaganda on the internet and he was charged accordingly.
Be he an active member of terrorist group or not his criminal attack on the US target in New York City has seriously tarnished Bangladesh’s image. People in Bangladesh are peaceful by and large and any such information brings shock and consternation in them. So also our expatriate community in the USA is seriously perturbed by the event. No one wants to see any Bangladeshi is harming the USA any way or hurting the people in the street. This man has brought shame on Bangladeshi community who are otherwise law abiding and making important contribution to bring prosperity to the USA and prosper themselves.
We want to say Bangladeshi nationals are not like that idiot or foolish man. He may have been agitated too much by Trump’s announcement, which drew worldwide condemnation for his recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel. He has invariably indulged in a criminal act. It is a sheer madness but not an act of terrorist in real sense of the term. In our view Muslims are passing through a volatile time and young people are highly vulnerable to making wrong decisions and step into the trap. Let there be sanity at all level to keep peace.
