‘Ahmadiyya mosque attacker’ killed in ‘gunfight’

An operative of militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) was killed during a “gunfight” between his cohorts and police in Godagari upazila of Rajshahi early today, hours into the confession of his involvement in Bagmara Ahmadiyya mosque attack, police said.

Jamal Uddin, 25, son of Tabjul Haque of Kalinagar Laxmipur village in Shibganj upazila in Chapainawabganj, was a member of JMB suicide squad, said SM Abu Forhad, officer-in-charge of Godagari Police Station.

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“All the three bullets that hit him were from the firearms of his cohorts,” said the OC adding that the police seized a foreign-made 7.65mm pistol, a magazine and two bullets from the scene.

A special team, investigating the mosque blast incident, arrested Jamal from a house in Babu Dyeing area of Godagari around 11:30pm yesterday, the OC said.

During the interrogation, Jamal admitted that he was one of the three JMB men who were involved in the suicide bombing at Chokpara Ahmadiyya Jamaat Mosque in Bagmara upazila on December 25 last year which left the main attacker dead, the police official said.

Jamaal received a bullet in the right part of his head and two bullets in his chest during a gunfight in Forhadpur village around 3:00am.

Jamal was declared dead at the local health complex and his body was sent to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

A suicide attacker, aged around 20, detonated a bomb and blew himself up during Juma prayers inside the Ahmadiyya mosque at Sayedpur Chalkpara village. Three devotees were wounded in the attack.

While the investigators point finger at the outlawed JMB for the attack, US-based SITE Intelligence Group reported that the Islamic State militants have claimed responsibility for it. The IS claim could not be independently verified.