<p>One of the masterminds of Bangladesh's worst terror attack at a popular cafe here and another top militant behind the murder of a Hindu priest were killed today in a shootout with police, the latest success in the anti- terrorism drive in the Muslim majority nation.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Islamic State-linked Neo-Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen's most wanted leader Nurul Islam alias Marzan and another extremist were killed by Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit in Mohammadpur Beribadh area of the capital during a pre-dawn raid.<br /><br />"One is identified as Marjan and another is Saddam Hossain, an accused neo JMB member," Monirul Islam, chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said.<br /><br />Police said Marzan coordinated the July 1 attack on Gulshan's Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka's posh diplomatic area that killed 23 people, including 17 foreigners. An Indian girl was among them.<br /><br />On September 10, police detained three persons from Azimpur including Marzan's wife Afrin alias Prioti. Earlier, a Bangladeshi-Canadian Tamim Chowdhury, who was singled out by the police as the neo-JMB chief and the key player in the recent terror activities in Bangladesh, and two others were killed in a police operation in Narayanganj on August 27.<br /><br />Saddam was wanted for at least 10 murder cases, including Japanese national Kunio Hoshi murder, Jogeshwar Dasadhikari murder and attempt to murder a Bahai community leader in Rangpur, Monirul said.<br /><br />Jogeshwar was hacked to death during an attack on a temple in Bangladesh’s Panchgarh district in February last year. "Acting on a tip-off, we conducted a raid around 3am...Sensing our presence, the militants opened fire at us. In retaliation, we fired back that left the two injured," Monirul said.<br /><br />Later, they were declared dead when taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. According to an investigator, former Islami Chhatra Shibir leader Marjan was the youngest military commander of the Neo-JMB, a new faction of Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) affiliated with Islamic State, Dhaka Tribune reported.<br /><br />He also had connection with a number of top leaders of the outfit. Marjan had expertise in operating heavy arms. Marjan had stayed in the militant den of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha for a long period where he reportedly gave motivational training to seven militants. Of the seven, five took part in the Gulshan terror attack.<br /><br />On July 1, militants stormed the bakery. The attackers took diners and restaurant staff hostage and had confrontations with police, killing two police officials. Next morning, a joint commando force stormed the bakery, killing all the attackers and rescuing the captives, ending the terror siege of nearly 11 hours.<br /><br />Bangladeshi security forces had launched a crackdown against Islamist extremists following the cafe siege, which sullied the country's image as a relatively moderate Muslim nation.</p>
<p>One of the masterminds of Bangladesh's worst terror attack at a popular cafe here and another top militant behind the murder of a Hindu priest were killed today in a shootout with police, the latest success in the anti- terrorism drive in the Muslim majority nation.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Islamic State-linked Neo-Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen's most wanted leader Nurul Islam alias Marzan and another extremist were killed by Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit in Mohammadpur Beribadh area of the capital during a pre-dawn raid.<br /><br />"One is identified as Marjan and another is Saddam Hossain, an accused neo JMB member," Monirul Islam, chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said.<br /><br />Police said Marzan coordinated the July 1 attack on Gulshan's Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka's posh diplomatic area that killed 23 people, including 17 foreigners. An Indian girl was among them.<br /><br />On September 10, police detained three persons from Azimpur including Marzan's wife Afrin alias Prioti. Earlier, a Bangladeshi-Canadian Tamim Chowdhury, who was singled out by the police as the neo-JMB chief and the key player in the recent terror activities in Bangladesh, and two others were killed in a police operation in Narayanganj on August 27.<br /><br />Saddam was wanted for at least 10 murder cases, including Japanese national Kunio Hoshi murder, Jogeshwar Dasadhikari murder and attempt to murder a Bahai community leader in Rangpur, Monirul said.<br /><br />Jogeshwar was hacked to death during an attack on a temple in Bangladesh’s Panchgarh district in February last year. "Acting on a tip-off, we conducted a raid around 3am...Sensing our presence, the militants opened fire at us. In retaliation, we fired back that left the two injured," Monirul said.<br /><br />Later, they were declared dead when taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. According to an investigator, former Islami Chhatra Shibir leader Marjan was the youngest military commander of the Neo-JMB, a new faction of Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) affiliated with Islamic State, Dhaka Tribune reported.<br /><br />He also had connection with a number of top leaders of the outfit. Marjan had expertise in operating heavy arms. Marjan had stayed in the militant den of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha for a long period where he reportedly gave motivational training to seven militants. Of the seven, five took part in the Gulshan terror attack.<br /><br />On July 1, militants stormed the bakery. The attackers took diners and restaurant staff hostage and had confrontations with police, killing two police officials. Next morning, a joint commando force stormed the bakery, killing all the attackers and rescuing the captives, ending the terror siege of nearly 11 hours.<br /><br />Bangladeshi security forces had launched a crackdown against Islamist extremists following the cafe siege, which sullied the country's image as a relatively moderate Muslim nation.</p>