FBI officials meet Bangladesh Police

FBI officials on Sunday held discussions with Bangladesh police to crack the brutal murder case of secular blogger Niloy Chakrabarty Neel, the fourth such killing in the last six months involving suspected al-Qaeda- linked Islamists.A team comprising two US and one Bangladeshi went to the office of the Detective Branch (DB) at Mintoo Road here this morning, a day after the US-based Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said it would help Bangladesh solve the murder case.

The meeting was advanced to discuss the findings in the ongoing probe of another blogger Avijit Roy, a naturalised US citizen, who hacked to death in February.Mahbub Alam, deputy commissioner (east) of DB police, told reporters that the FBI would provide technical assistance if Bangladesh detectives need any help in the investigation of the killing.

The evidences collected from the crime scene have been sent to different labs for clues to investigate the Neel’s killing, the Daily Star reported.

Ansar-Al-Islam, the Bangladesh chapter of al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent, had claimed responsibility for killing 40-year-old Neel, terming him an enemy of Allah, but Alam said involvement of the banned outfit cannot be confirmed yet.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, however, said Bangladeshi investigators “are close to identifying the murderers” who were “religious fanatics”.

The DB will continue shadow investigation in Neel’s murder alongside the police.Neel was attacked by four suspected al-Qaeda-linked Islamists at his apartment here just after the Friday prayers. His body bore around 14 hack wounds – four of which were on the neck. The brutality of the attack was such that some of the cuts sliced through his bones.

Deputy Commissioner Muntasirul Islam said the FBI officials called up the police and offered their assistance.An FBI team had earlier visited Bangladesh after the murder of writer-blogger Roy. Authorities in Dhaka shared the evidence with the US agency obtaining a court order.As the killing of the blogger was condemned worldwide, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned that her Government will not allow politics over religious sentiment.

“At least, this can’t be done in Bangladesh, we won’t allow this to happen... We will face them with an iron hand,” she said at a function in the capital yesterday.

Noting that Islam is a religion of peace, she questioned the belief of the militants, saying “Are they MuslimsIJ”Neel is the fourth secular blogger to be killed in the Muslim-dominated Bangladesh since February. His body was taken to his village last night and cremated at the Sadar Upazila’s Tona Union. Hundreds of people gathered to catch a last glimpse of the blogger, who was said to be affable and soft-spoken.