Bangladesh on 'bomb chief's trail'
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Suspected mastermind flew to Dhaka one day before blast
Bangladesh on ‘bomb chief’s trail’
SUSPECTED MASTERMIND FLEW TO DHAKA
ONE DAY BEFORE ERAWAN SHRINE BLAST
THE NATION
BANGLADESH says that it will work closely with Thailand to get information about the alleged mastermind of the Erawan Shrine bombing after it was discovered he left Bangkok for Dhaka a day before the attack and stayed there briefly.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Saida Muna Tasneem said yesterday that Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies were investigating the activities of the alleged mastermind during his stay there and would share details with Thailand, other concerned countries and Interpol.
The ambassador, who met with police spokesman Pol General Prawut Thavornsiri yesterday to discuss the case, said it was the first time that the suspect had been to Bangladesh.
The case’s chief investigator Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda has alleged that Abudustar Abdulrahman, or Izan, was the mastermind of the deadly bomb attack on August 16.
Without mentioning the suspect’s name, Tasneem told The Nation that the suspect applied for an entry visa to Dhaka from her embassy and obtained a single tourist visa.
“In applying for the visa, the alleged bomb plotter submitted the required documents which were found [to be] legal. The documents included a non-immigrant multiple visa to Thailand and a work permit,” she said.
She said that it was unfortunate the suspect had left the country – on August 30 – when Bangladeshi authorities learnt from Thailand that he had travelled there.
However, she said her embassy had initiated a high-security alert after learning about the suspect’s visa application in order to prevent any further attempts to enter the country by similar individuals.
Bangladesh’s The Daily Star online reported on Thursday night that the man in question flew to Dhaka on a Chinese passport on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Bangkok on August 16.
It quoted Assistant Inspector General for Media Nazrul Islam as saying that he landed at the airport in Dhaka at about 3.30pm.
“We have also found that the man left Dhaka for Beijing on August 30 in a Jet Airways flight at 10am,” he said.
However, Prawut said intelligence reports show that the suspect did not go to Beijing, and investigators were checking to see if he went to India. Asked about Izan’s whereabouts during his stay in Bangladesh, Nazrul Islam said: “This is part of our ongoing intelligence activity and I have a limitation in disclosing the information right now.”
The Bangladesh ambassador said she was in close contact with the Thai Foreign Ministry, law enforcement agencies in Thailand and the Thai media, while concerned agencies in both countries were also exchanging information.
She said Bangladesh would continue to uphold its “zero tolerance” policy against all acts of terrorism and extremism, and stood ready to enforce stringent counter-terrorism and extremism measures.
It would also enforce its counter-terrorism laws with an extra-territorial third country jurisdiction and when necessary bring perpetrators to justice.
