Police on Saturday seized 17 containers of hydrogen peroxide, a chemical used to make bombs, along with ammunition and jihadist books from a suspected militant hideout in southwestern Bangladesh.
A house on the outskirts of Jhenidah was sealed off on Friday on intelligence inputs that it was being used by militants as a hideout. Police on Saturday recovered at least 17 large plastic containers of hydrogen peroxide, a chemical used to make bombs, and bullets from the suspected neo-Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh hideout.
A 7.65 foreign made pistol, seven bullets, 15 to 16 jihadist books were also recovered from the house, Deputy Inspector General of Khulna range Didar Ahmed told the Daily Star. The recovery was made after members of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit resumed their operation for the second day at the house this morning.
A team of 30 counter-terrorism officials led by Additional Deputy Commissioner Nazmul Hasan conducted the operation code-named 'Southpaw' in the presence of Ahmed. Police had on Friday said the suspected militants fled the spot before the drive began.
Owner of the house Abdullah, a suspected militant, converted to Muslim from Hinduism in 2012, according to police. Additional Deputy Commissioner Sanwar old BD News that the Neo-JMB was using the house as a 'bomb-making facility'.
In March, CTTC officials busted five hideouts of 'Neo JMB' -- two in Chittagong, one in Sylhet and two in Moulvibazar. Nineteen people, including five children and five women, were killed in those raids.
According to police, 16 of them were killed in suicide blasts. 'Neo JMB', which is believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS), has also been blamed for the Gulshan cafe attack in 2016 in which 22 people, including 17 foreigners and two police officials, were killed.
