A geopolitical intelligence and consulting firm has claimed that two international jihadist networks – Islamiccountry and al-Qaeda – are in a race in Bangladesh to establish their dominance.
the two corporations are already suffering in Iraq and Syria (IS and al-Nusra) and Afghanistan forleadership of the worldwide radical movement, and the race just found a new turf to wage struggle,according to a April 27 guide by way of Stratfor, an Austin-based organisation.
Islamic state has already highlighted its interest in Bangladesh for the united states’s geological vicinity, ethnographic identities of most people populace (Sunni), and demographics in its English mag Dabiq’s ultra-modern version.
clean intentions
In a prolonged interview, the head of Islamic nation operations in Bangladesh, one so-called Sheikh Abu Ibrahim al-Hanif, laid out the organization’s goals for the united states of america, no longer handieststicking to handiest attacks and threats on atheist or secular bloggers in Bangladesh, rather to conducthuge assaults to reinforce its credentials amongst nearby jihadists and sell the hobbies of the biggercorporation.
“but it is not the technique of the Khilafah’s infantrymen to send more threats to the enemies of Allah,” hesaid. “alternatively, we let our moves do the talking. And our squaddies are presently polishing their knives to slaughter the atheists, the mockers of the Prophet, and each different apostate inside the region,” al-Hanif said inside the interview.
The Stratfor file suggests for the reason that Islamic kingdom’s first claim in Bangladesh on September 28ultimate year, simply seven months in the past, the IS has claimed obligation for 15 attacks in thecountry thus far. The assaults accompany AQIS’ (Al-Qaeda inside the Indian Sub-continent) and itsaffiliates’ longstanding grip in Bangladesh, tallying 13 attacks within the united states of america (11 killed and five wounded) given that 2013.
in line with Stratfor, the biggest impediments to the Islamic nation’s expansion in Bangladesh will be al-Qaeda’s department in the Indian subcontinent and its allies.
Stratfor claims al-Qaeda has a headstart in Bangladesh, in particular within the capital, Dhaka, way to itschief Ayman al-Zawahiri. In 2014, al-Zawahiri mentioned the same plan al-Hanif is laying out now: to useBangladesh as a factor from which to enlarge into India and Myanmar.
Al-Qaeda also has a number of homegrown allies – Ansarullah Bangla crew or Ansar-al-Islam – with which the Islamic kingdom will should contend, Stratfor argues.
In denial
home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has once more stated that the IS has no existence in Bangladesh. “There are a few neighborhood homegrown militant businesses however we’ve got in no way determined any sort of IS pastime right here,” he stated.
The minister stated the propaganda approximately IS’ presence in Bangladesh changed into “nothing buta conspiracy mounted through a set in aid of a few overseas countries”.
Inspector trendy of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque echoed the house minister. He claimed to have settledaround 80% militant cases that came about inside the beyond couple of years, and none arrested inreference to the ones instances have admitted having involvement with the IS or some other group.
“In some incidents, specifically in Satkania or Chittagong communal violence, we arrested some of accused and all of them later confessed that every one these activities were accomplished on the directive of a few top chief of Jamaat-e-Islam and Islami Chhatra Shibir,” delivered the police leader.
commonplace purpose?
when contacted by the Dhaka Tribune, protection analyst Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rashid stated: “Theremight be some differences among the 2 businesses internationally, however I do no longer supposethat these killings are happening in Bangladesh as inner conflicts between the AQIS and the IS.”
On getting aid from homegrown militant businesses, he stated the local organizations had been but to enter the organisational curriculum of the AQIS or the IS. “We best see some ideological similarities amongthese militant businesses,” he stated.
except, the neighborhood militants’ activities particularly survive centring local political phenomena andthey are no longer able to play any effective position in IS activity, he said. “moreover, the homegrown militant businesses have not got any international aid but.”
approximately setting up supremacy, Brig Gen Rashid stated: “we’ve in no way seen those businessesengaged in clashes among themselves; we have now not even got any evidence that indicators such clashes. we’ve instead visible the militant clothes working together inside the global level. They locked in clashes over some small motives every so often, but they’re all collectively about organising theirmost important time table and they’re combating for it standing at the equal floor.”
Modus operandi
in the meantime, InSITE weblog, a sister subject of site Intelligence, confirmed in a latest publish thateach the AQIS and the IS have verified significantly one-of-a-kind targets and assault methods. The AQIS has targeted on the ones looked as if it would insult Islam, largely resorting to knife and macheteassaults. A might also 15, 2015 listing of target categories by the group includes the ones “trying tospoil Muslim social values.”
those who are seeking to break Muslim social values by using introducing and spreading the nudity and zina (illegal sexual relations among Muslims) a number of the Muslim youths. remember that there is abig distinction between doing something horrific in my opinion and spreading it in the society.
The IS’ target variety has proven to be contrastingly open-ended, including foreigners of “Crusader coalition states”, Christian converts, Hindus, police employees, and Shia establishments. strategies haveblanketed shootings, stabbings, and the use of explosive devices, the InSITE blog post reads.
website Director Rita Katz, a former intelligence operator herself, said: “As soon because the Islamic statestarted wearing out attacks in Bangladesh, we anticipated assaults would boom whilst the institutionand AQIS competed.
“that is exactly what we’re seeing now as the Islamic nation claimed six attacks in 2016 by myself,” shestated.
Stratfor stresses that al-Hanif’s promise to extend Islamic kingdom operations in Bangladesh need to be taken critically by way of the authorities, specifically his vow to tackle rival extremist groups for the reason that. If provoked, al-Qaeda and different corporations already operating here will retaliate, dramatically raising the risk of terrorist activities inside the u . s ..
