Dhaka denies arresting Hyderabad blasts suspect

DHAKA: Dhaka has termed as 'unfounded' in the Indian and international media that it has arrested Abu Hamza alias Sharifuddin, a Bangladeshi with many aliases suspected to have been involved in the Aug 25 twin blasts in the Indian city of Hyderabad that claimed 44 lives.

Denying any Bangladeshi involvement, Home Secretary Abdul Karim, however, told New Age newspaper, "We will verify the reports of different international and Indian media.

"Bangladesh does not have any involvement in the Hyderabad blasts. The foreign ministry will lodge its protest through diplomatic channels."

A Dhaka Metropolitan Police official also said "such reports are baseless".

The newspaper said the media reports about the arrest "have stunned authorities in Dhaka".

The denial is in keeping with Dhaka's regular stance with regard to India's allegations that Jama'at Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Harkatul Jihad Islami (HUJI) operating from Bangladeshi soil have been carrying out terrorist activities in India.

Dhaka has also countered India's allegation by claiming that some "anti-state" elements from Bangladesh were operating in India.

India has suspected the hand of Bangladesh-based terror groups and operatives in the Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad in May and earlier at Malegaon in Maharashtra.

International media and think tanks have noted that Bangladesh has become the hotbed for religious extremists in recent years. Dhaka took note of the JMB and HUJI's activities and proscribed them under US pressure. Six top JMB militants were hanged in February after being convicted of killing two judges in 2004.