The terror attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in the upscale neighborhood of Dhaka’s Gulshan three-and-half years ago left the world shocked.
The attack on the night of Jul 1, 2016, left 22 people- 17 foreigners, three Bangladeshis, and two police officers dead.
Five neo-JMB operatives, an offshoot of the banned militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahidin stormed the café in the worst hostage crisis Bangladesh faced.
The 12-hour-seige ended with a commando raid that left all five of the attackers dead.
On Jul 23, 2018, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit identified 21 suspects connected to the attack and submitted charges against the eight living suspects.
In addition to the five killed in the commando raid, eight other including mastermind Tamim Chowdhury were killed in anti-terror drives.
A court in Dhaka is set to deliver the verdict against eight living suspects of the deadly attack on Wednesday (Nov 27).
The charged pressed against the suspects are as follows:
Jahangir Hossain alias Rajib Gandhi:
Jahangir Hossain alias Rajib Gandhi, currently in police custody, has been charged with plotting the attack by the end of February and stands accused of training, supplying arms, and abetting the killings.
Hailing from Gaibandha, the 28-year-old confessed to his involvement in the deadly attack on Jan 23, 2017. He was arrested on Jan 13, 2017.
Aslam Hossain
Aslam Hossain alias Rashed alias Rash, 20 was arrested on Jul 18, 2017 nearly a year after the attack and was reportedly a close aid of the deceased mastermind Tamim Chowdhury.
He stands accused of taking the attackers to the trainers and them for bomb attacks and also supporting logistic support.
Aslam confessed to his involvement in front of a court on Aug 10, 2017.
Sohel Mahfuz
Abdus Sabur Khan, 33, better known as Sohel Mahfuz also uses the aliases Musafir, Joy and Nasurullah.
Hailing from Kushtia, he was arrested on July 8, 2017 and confessed on Jul 23.
A top leader of the Jamaat-ul-Mujaheedin once, he stands accused of supplying bombs, arms and funds to the neo-JMB operatives.
Sohel reportedly developed the grenades used in the café attack at their den in Mirpur’s Shewrapara.
Hasidur Rahman Sagar
Hadisur Rahman was arrested on March 21, 2018 and confessed to the court on Apr 5, the same year.
Hailing from Joypurhat, he has been accused of developing bombs and supplying arms to the attackers.
Rakibul Hasan Rigan:
Rakibul Hasan Rigan, 20, known by aliased Rafiul Islam Rafi, Ripon, Hasan and Antar was arrested from a militant den in Kalyanpur on Jul 26, 2016 by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit.
On Sept 25, he confessed to training the five neo-JMP operatives who stormed the café and were subsequently killed in the commando raid and two others.
The man from Bagura has been accused of training militants at a Bashundhara home in Dhaka where the deadly siege was planned.
Mizanur Rahman alias Boro Mizan:
Mizanur Rahman alias Boro Miazan, 60, was arrested from Dhaka’s Darussalam on Nov 2, 2016 and confessed to the court on Mar 26, 2017.
Hailing from Chapainawabganj, he was allegedly the regional organizer of the neo-JMB there and was responsible for bringing in the arms and explosives used in the attack into Dhaka from the border.
Manmur Rashid Ripon:
Mamunur Rashid Ripon, 30, was also a top leader of the JMB and later joined neo-JMB.
He has been accused of planning the attack as well as delivering arms and explosives used in the attack to mastermind Tamim Chowdhury.
Shariful Islam Khalid:
Shariful Islam Khalid, 27, has also been accused of transporting arms and explosives as well as planning the attack.
A Rajshahi University English Department graduate, he also allegedly aided with transactions and trained the operatives in Gaibandha.
Khalid, Rahat, Nahid, Abu Sulaiman are a few among his aliases. The man from Rajshahi was arrested in Chanpainawabganj on Jan 25 this year.
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