Bangladesh captures second Islamic rebel chief

BANGLADESH: The fugitive leader of a banned Islamic militant group accused of bombing shrines across Bangladesh was arrested Monday in a raid in the north of the country, an official said.

"We have arrested Siddiqul Islam, alias Bangla Bhai, this morning from a house in Muktagacha," said Mashuk Hassan, commander of the elite Rapid Action Battalion security force.

Bangla Bhai (Bangla Brother) heads the Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), which along with the Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) has been waging a bloody campaign for the imposition of strict Islamic laws.

The government of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has vowed to preserve secularity in the largely Muslim country.

"There was a gunbattle. He shot at us and one of our sergeants was hit in the head and seriouly injured," said Hassan. "During the raid, Bangla Bhai detonated an explosive and he was slightly injured."

On Thursday, JMB leader Shaikh Abdur Rahman - wanted for his alleged role in a nationwide wave of deadly bomb blasts - surrendered to police after a 33-hour siege at a house in the northeastern city of Sylhet.

The government banned both groups over a year ago after blaming them for a series of earlier bomb attacks on shrines, musical events, cinemas and other targets.

Thousands of police, paramilitaries and elite security forces have been hunting the two leaders in recent months.

Dhaka, Monday, AFP