DHAKA: Bangladesh today pressed anti-terrorism charges against several suspects and identified the fifth assailant in the country’s worst terror attack as authorities intensified efforts to unravel the plot behind the brazen assault in which 22 people were slaughtered by Islamists.
The charges against the suspects were filed at Gulshan Police Station at midnight, Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque said.
Islamist gunmen stormed a popular restaurant in Dhaka’s diplomatic enclave late on Friday and killed 22 people, most of them foreigners from Italy, Japan, India and the US in an attack claimed by the Islamic State terror group.
“We filed the case under the Anti-terrorism Act…Five men have been made accused by their names and several others as unidentified accused,” the duty officer of the police station said.
Police yesterday said two persons were in their custody who will be quizzed later as they are unwell.
Also today investigators said they had identified the fifth of seven assailants who carried out the Friday night massacre at the posh Dhaka restaurant.
“We now know the background of another slain assailant, who until months ago was studying at a government college in (northwestern) Bogra,” a police officer familiar with the investigation told PTI.
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the killing of the 20 hostages and two police officers during the 12-hour siege that ended after the army stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery popular with expats in the diplomatic zone here, killing six attackers and capturing one alive.
Hostages killed include 19-year-old Indian girl Tarishi Jain. Nine Italians, 7 Japanese, one American of Bangladeshi origin, and two Bangladeshis were also among the dead.(Agencies)
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