Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU), a specialized unit of Bangladesh Police, have arrested five suspected members of banned militant outfit ‘Ansar Al Islam’ from Dhaka city and its outskirt Keraniganj.

Tipped off,  a special team  of ATU conducted drives from Thursday to Friday night and arrested the five alleged militants.

They arrestees are Md Mithun Rahman alias Mithu, 29, Sakib Al Hasan, 19, Mohammad Abdus Shukur Sohagh, 21, Mohammad Jaber, 25, and Md Omar Faruque, 19.

Read: Ansar Al Islam leader placed on 3-day remand

Mohammad Aslam Khan, SP, (Media and Awareness) of ATU, said based on secret information, the ATU members arrested Mithu from Sher-e-Banglanagar area in the city and recovered one mobile phone set and five books on militancy from his possession.

Based on his statement, the specialized police unit members arrested Sakib Al Hasan along with one mobile phone set and two books on  militancy from Hazratpur area of Keraniganj.

Later,   based on information given by Mithu and Sakib, the ATU members arrested Shohagh, Jaber and Faruque, Aslam Khan said. 

Among them, Sohag and Jaber came to Dhaka from Habiganj and Laxmipur on October 29.

Read: Three ‘Ansar Al Islam militants’ held in Rajshahi

The arrestees were involved in spreading online propaganda on extremism, he said.

They used to chat by opening a secured Telegram group to plan subversive activities and spread  extremist ideology, he added.

A case was filed against them with Sher-e-Banglanagar police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.