Cops to write to home ministry to ban Ansar-Al-Islam

Police will write to the home ministry to take necessary steps to ban militant outfit Ansar-Al-Islam, an alleged Bangladesh chapter of al-Qaeda in the Indian Sub-Continent.

A maulana runs Ansar-Al-Islam and Major (dismissed) Syed M Ziaul Haq is one of the coordinators of its operational wing, Chief of counter terrorism unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Monirul Islam told journalists at DMP media centre in Dhaka, without disclosing the names.

The organisation has been formed in September 2014 through a blog site “Ansarullah Bangla Team” which was banned by the government later, Islam said.

The blog site of Ansarullah Bangla Team has been used by Ansar-Al-Islam to establish communication with its members and followers, the police official claimed.

Ansar-Al-Islam has three sections -- dawa, ashkari or operation and media -- under its chief, he said.

Through a home ministry circular, the government banned the Ansarullah Bangla Team for its militant and anti-state activities on May 25, 2015.