Some `politicians` helped LeT spread roots in Bangla: Report

Anisur Rahman

Dhaka, Aug 11 (PTI) Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT,
whose two suspected members having Indian nationality were
arrested in Bangladesh recently, is believed to have spread
its roots in this country with the help of several politicians
and the HuJI militant group, a media report said here Tuesday.

Indian nationals Mufti Obaidullah and Moulana Mohammad
Mansur Ali, the two suspected LeT operatives arrested last
month, hinted about their political links in Bangladesh as
they were interrogated, 'The Daily Star' newspaper said.

"Investigators learnt about the political patrons from
two recently-detained LeT operatives and Indian nationals --
Mufti Obaidullah and Moulana Mohammad Mansur Ali," the report
said quoting the "sources in the intelligence and law
enforcement agencies."

Citing an unidentified former official of Rapid Action
Battalion (RAB), it said the elite anti-crime force came to
know about Lashkar-e-Toiba's existence in Bangladesh with
patronage of at least seven politicians during the past
BNP-led four-party regime of former premier Khaleda Zia.

Though law enforcers had detained several LeT operatives
in the past, they formally admitted the outfit's existence
here only last month after the Detective Branch of police
arrested the two Indian nationals, working for the Pakistani
outfit.

"...they could not carry the investigation through
(earlier) as they had limitations with the four-party alliance
in power," it said.

RAB's Director General Hassan Mahmud, however, declined
to confirm or reject the newspaper report immediately. "I have
gone through the report, but I don't want to make any comment
immediately ... I don't know who on what basis made the
comment," he told PTI.

But earlier reports had claimed that India-based Asif
Reza Commando Force (ARCF), which works together with
Pakistan's LeT, supplied grenades for the 2004 attack on
incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh police on July 20 arrested the suspected
second LeT operative, Ali, after days of manhunt following the
arrest of Obaidullah. Officials said both of them were also
suspected to have links with ARCF and Bangladesh's HuJI.

Detective policemen last month arrested Obaidullah in
line with statements of earlier arrested Indian underworld
operative Dawdood Merchant belonging to Dawdood Ibrahim's
network.

"They admitted that LeT and ARCF have links with Dawdood
Ibrahim's network for convenience though they did not support
their activities like killing in exchange of money or
smuggling," an official earlier said. PTI