Police claimed to have identified a bomb expert named Sohel Mahfuz who played important role in Gulshan cafe attack in Dhaka on July 1.

Monirul Islam, Chief of counter terrorism and Transnational Crime unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said this during a press briefing at DMP Media Centre on Minto Road of the capital today.

He provided crude bombs during the attack, Monirul added.

“Mahfuz is a member of the newly formed militant group Neo-JMB. He was also a former member of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB),” Monirul said.

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“He (Mahfuz) made the bombs and supplied to the café attackers,” Monirul said adding “We have found important information about him.”

“If we can arrest Marzan, one of the masterminds of the café attack, we’ll get more information about Mahfuz,” Monirul added.

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According to police, Marzan, a “top-level militant organiser”, was the “operational commander” of Artisan Bakery café attackers.

Marzan is a student of Arabic Department of Chittagong University.

On July 1, a group of terrorists stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan diplomatic zone in the capital, killing 22 people, mostly foreigners. Two police officials were also killed.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors global terror activities, IS claimed responsibility for the attack. The government, however, says there is no IS presence in Bangladesh.

Five militants Nibras Islam, Rohan Imtiaz, Meer Saameh Mubasheer, Khairul Islam Payel and Shafiqul Islam Uzzal were killed on July 2 following an operation of the joint forces at Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan.

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Apart from the five, Saiful Islam, reported to be a chef of the café, was also killed in the operation.