Attack on Navy Mosque: 2 suspects on fresh remand

A Chittagong court yesterday placed two accused on a one-day fresh remand in a case filed in connection with grenade attacks at two mosques inside Bangladesh Navy's Issa Khan Base in Chittagong during Juma prayers on December 18 last year.

Police submitted a petition with the court, seeking a 10-day remand for each of the two accused -- Issa Khan Base's former ball-pickers Abdul Mannan and Ramjan Ali.

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After hearing the petition, Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Abdul Kader granted a one-day remand for each of them, said court sources.

During the hearing, Kazi Shahabuddin Ahmed, assistant commissioner (prosecution) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police, claimed before the court that the two accused were involved with militant activities and said Counter Terrorism Unit of police wanted to interrogate them to collect important information about their activities.

Earlier, police had quizzed the accused for six days during their two-term remand, the police officer told the court.

At that time, the court asked Shahabuddin then why they sought more remand for the two.

In reply, the police official told the court that police gleaned important information from the accused, but this time Counter Terrorism Unit of police wanted to verify that information.

On December 18 last year, at least 24 people, mostly civilians, were injured in two incidents of explosions at two mosques inside Bangladesh Navy's Issa Khan Base. 

Commander Abu Sayeed, naval provost marshal of Chittagong, filed a case with EPZ Police Station in this connection on September 3 under the anti-terrorism act, accusing ball-pickers Mannan, Ramjan, Bablu Rahman and navy's former member Sakhawat Hossain and some unnamed others.

Of the accused, Mannan and Ramjan are now in jail and the rest are absconding.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) of the case, Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Chittagong region chief coordinator Raisul Islam Khan Noman alias Fardin alias Nasif coordinated the attacks. Fardin was reportedly killed on April 3 in Bogra while making bombs.