The Rapid Action Battalion claimed on Friday that they arrested three suspected members of the banned extremist outfit Ansar al-Islam in Cox’s Bazar.
The arrested are Zakaria Mondal, 19, a resident of Jamalpur, Md Niamat Ullah, 21, of Bhola, and Md Ozair, 19, of the Sonagazi area of Feni.
The three active members of the banned outfit were arrested in a raid in the Chowfaldandi area at Cox’s Bazar Sadar on Thursday night, according to a RAB press release sent on Friday.
Teams of the intelligence wing of RAB headquarters, RAB 15 and RAB-7 conducted the operation.
The RAB in its press release claimed that they recovered ten extremist books, 29 leaflets, one diary, two madrassah identity cards, two NIDs and two mobile phones at the time of the arrest.
They were inspired by the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, following the ideology of Al-Qaeda, and joined the banned extremist outfit Ansar al-Islam.
The RAB said that the activities of Ansar al-Islam came to a standstill as a result of regular operations by the RAB and other law enforcement agencies.
Due to disruption of activities in the name of Ansar a-Islam, they formed a new extremist group, ‘As Shahadat’.
This group had approximately 85 to 100 members, the majority of whom are madrassah students and teachers.
The arrested left home and gathered in Cox’s Bazar to conduct secret meetings about adopting various policies, said RAB officials.