Bangladesh: 7 get death penalty in 2016 cafe attack

Deadly attack in capital’s upscale district killed 22 people, including 17 foreigners

DHAKA, Bangladesh -- A special court in Bangladesh on Wednesday sentenced seven people to death for their involvement in the 2016 terror attack at a cafe in the capital Dhaka, which left 22 people dead.

"An allegation of involvement in the 2016 terrorist attack against those seven people has undoubtedly been proven and court has served justice,” public prosecutor Abdullah Abu told reporters after the verdict was announced.

On July 1, 2016, an armed militant group stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery in the upscale Gulshan district of Dhaka, killing 22 people -- including 17 foreign nationals and two police officers.

In July last year, police’s counter-terrorism unit had submitted to the Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal a charge sheet against eight members of banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh.

The court's Judge Md Majibur Rahman ordered death penalties for seven suspects and acquitted one.

Ahead of the verdict, tight security measures were taken in the court area as well as in the entire city.

After the announcement of the verdict, the convicts shouted at the packed courtroom and claimed they are innocent.

Advocate Delwar Hossain, one of the lawyers of the convicts, told journalists they would challenge the judgment in the higher court after receiving copy of the complete judgement.

Source: aa.com.tr, Staff, November 27, 2019

Sporting Islamic State skull cap, Dhaka cafe terrorists vaunt a contempt for court

Aslam Hossain Sarder alias Rash was being escorted to the death row from a tribunal in Dhaka on Wednesday after being convicted along with six others for their role in the deadly attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery.

The terrorist was threatening more terrifying attacks. His associate Jahangir Hossain alias Rajib Gandhi was also vaunting.

There was no sign of remorse among the seven condemned to death for the brutal killings of 22 people, including 17 foreigners among 20 diners, in the worst terrorist attack in Bangladesh around three and a half years ago.

Laughing before the camera, two of the convicts even boasted prayer caps with the insignia of the Islamic State, the Middle East-based radical group that inspired the members of the revived faction of the home-grown militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh or Neo-JMB.

Source: bdnews24.com, Staff, November 27, 2019

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