B’desh militants likely to escape to India after Dhaka attack: Experts

The Indian security set-up will have to step up its vigil to cope with a possible crackdown on militants by Bangladesh after the Dhaka terror attack, security sources and analysts told HT

The Indian security set-up will have to step up its vigil to cope with a possible crackdown on militants by Bangladesh after the Dhaka terror attack, security sources and analysts told HT.

Bangladeshi security officers cordon off an area after heavily armed militants attacked a restaurant in Bangladesh's diplomatic zone on Friday night, in Dhaka, Saturday, July 2, 2016. (AP)

“Some radical elements may try to imitate what their counterparts have done in Dhaka. Besides, the Bangladesh government is likely to launch another intensive crackdown on terror elements in the next few days,” said Ajai Sahni, executive director of the Institute of Conflict Management.

“It’s possible that some extremists may try to flee to India to escape the crackdown. We share a very porous border with Bangladesh.”

Indian counter-terror officials, who were in touch with their Bangladeshi counterparts, said the six Dhaka attackers belonged to the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). “They have been identified as JMB cadres who were wanted by Bangladeshi counter-terror agencies in some earlier cases,” said a senior Indian official.

Reports have hinted at links between the JMB and the Islamic State, which claimed Friday’s attack.

“We believe the Bangladeshi counter-terror agencies had intelligence about a big attack and had taken precautionary steps,” the official said.