Bangladeshi police arrest banned group's top militant leader

Bangladeshi police have arrested a close associate of Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, executed second-in-command of a banned militant outfit, in the country's northern Mymensingh district, some 122 km from capital Dhaka.

Nur-e-Alam, the district's additional superintendent of police, confirmed the arrest of the top wanted militant leader of the banned Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) on Tuesday morning.

"Top JMB leader Garib Ullah was captured at his hideout in a large forest in Mymensingh district Tuesday morning," Alam told Xinhua over phone.

He could not disclose immediately the details about the arrest which was part of the nationwide ongoing anti-militant special drive that began on Friday.

Sources said the militant was a very close aide to Siddiqul Islam, alias Bangla Bhai, a top JMB leader who was executed by hanging in 2007.

The arrested militant was wanted in several cases.

JMB carried out a series of bombings in 63 out of the country's 64 districts, including the capital of Dhaka on Aug. 17, 2005, leaving two people dead and 150 others injured.

Hundreds of JMB leaders and activists were rounded up while six top leaders of the group, including Shaikh Abdur Rahman, were hanged in 2007.

Against the backdrop of a new wave of militancy rising, Bangladesh last week launched the special drive aimed at dismantling all terrorist outfits and their networks in the country.

Over 8,000 people including 119 suspected militants have been arrested in the first three days of the drive.

Among the 119 suspected militants arrested in the three days, most are reportedly members of the banned militant outfit JMB. Endit