After the announcement of the verdict of the sensational Holey Artisan Bakery case on Wednesday (Nov.27) at a Dhaka tribunal where seven Islamist militants were awarded death sentence punishment, the convicted terrorist was threatening more terrifying attacks. His associate Rajib Gandhi was also boasting.
There was no sign of remorse among the seven condemned to death for the brutal killings of 22 people, including 17 foreigners in the worst terrorist attack in Bangladesh around three and a half years ago.
Laughing before the camera, two of the convicts even boasted prayer caps with the insignia of the Islamic State, the Middle East-based radical group that inspired the members of the home-grown militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
Rajib Gandhi, one of the convicts sentenced to death for his role in 2016 Holey Artisan attack, is being taken to the Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj from the court.
At one stage of their boasting, a defense lawyer admitted his clients might be supporters of Islamic State.
Besides Aslam and Jahangir, those sentenced to death by the anti-terrorism tribunal are Hadisur Rahman, Rakibul Hasan Regan, Mamunur Rashid Ripon, Shariful Islam Khaled, and Abdus Sabur Khan alias Soheil Mahfuz. Another suspect, Mizanur Rahman, was acquitted as the charges against him could not be proved.
The five gunmen were killed in a commando raid in which 13 hostages were freed. A chef was killed at the time and a kitchen worker succumbed to his injuries later.
In the next few months, eight militant suspects, identified as masterminds of the grisly attack, died in raids on militant hideouts as part of a bolstered crackdown on terrorism.
Seven of the eight living suspects have been penalized for taking part in plotting the attack, supplying arms and explosives and training the attackers.
They were kept in the prison facilities on the Dhaka court premises on being brought from jail.
While being taken to the courtroom on the fourth floor of the building before the verdict, a smiling Rigan, donning a dark panjabi, flashed the V-sign.
Ripon appeared to be less emotional than the others, who waved and smiled to the crowd while the cameras were clicking. How did one of the most talked about terrorists carry a cap emblazoned with the IS logo to a Dhaka courtroom in and then proceed it put it on for all to see?
How did the person then continue wearing the cap while surrounded by law enforcers?
And finally, where did the cap come from?
These burning questions were on the minds of everyone in court and on social media yesterday.
Meanwhile, a three-member committee headed by the Additional IG prisons has been formed to investigate whether the jail authorities had any involvement in this matter, Inspector General (IG) of Prisons Brig Gen AKM Mostafa Kamal Pasha told The Daily Star.
The committee has been instructed to submit the probe report within five days, he said.
“We are handling the issue with great sensitivity,” the IG said, adding that stern measures would be taken against anyone found involved.
Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government would conduct an enquiry into the incident.
Mahbubul Islam, jailer of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj, said that they handed over the accused to the representative of detectives and Special Branch of police after searching them.
“We have all the video footage which show that they left without having any such caps on them,” he said claiming that there was no scope of collecting the cap from within the prison.