Dhaka cafe attack masterminds will be nabbed soon: Minister

Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Friday alleged political patronisation behind the terror attacks on a cafe and an Eid congregation here last month, and said the masterminds will be arrested soon.

"We have identified the masterminds of the Gulshan restaurant attack. The police are hunting them. They will be arrested soon," the minister told reporters after attending an event in the capital.

"The attacks were carried out under the leadership of those who used to do politics of Jamaat and Shibir and who had patronised Baghmara's Bangla Bhai," Kamal said, Prothom Alo reported.

"Certainly, there was political patronisation (behind the militant attacks) of those who committed such incidents in the past and have also been indulging in such attacks," he said, speaking as the chief guest at a discussion at the Krishibid Institution auditorium at Farm Gate in Dhaka.

"I want to say in clear-cut terms, those we had nabbed recently confessed that they had been identified at times or now as Jamaat-e-Islami cadres and they had conducted the attacks."

Kamal also claimed that there were "vested quarters" that murdered the Bangabandhu and his family and also tried to kill Prime Minister Shekh Hasina 19 times.

"The detectives are acquiring more and more evidence on this. Law enforcers are working to bring all these political instigators to book," he added.

The terror attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1-2 night led to the deaths of 22 people, including 20 hostages -- mainly foreigners. This was followed by a terror attack on the Sholakia Eid congregation on July 7 by machete wielding men.

--IANS

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