Ten dead, 21 seriously hurt in Bangladesh's 1st suicide bombings (AFP) Updated: 2005-11-30 08:47
Ten people were killed and 21 badly injured in what police said were
Bangladesh's first suicide bombings and the latest in a string of attacks by
Islamic extremists.
The government and police accused the hardline Jamayetul Mujahideen,
which wants to introduce strict Islamic law in the Muslim-majority democracy, of
staging the attacks targeting the legal system.
"Jamayetul Mujahideen is using Islam's name to kill people. The government
has taken a hard stand and will now take an even harder stand," Prime Minister
Khaleda Zia said during a visit to the south.
"This is the first suicide attack in Bangladesh," national police chief Abdul
Kaiyum said after the blasts in the southeastern port city of Chittagong and in
Gazipur near the capital Dhaka.
"These were powerful homemade bombs. It seems Jamayetul Mujahideen have
stepped up their attacks after we arrested many of their members."
The attacks came two days after security was tightened around embassies in
Dhaka following a faxed message in the name of "Al-Qaeda in South Asia".
The message contained a threat to blow up the US and British missions as well
as all other European embassies. The Dhaka government has repeatedly denied
suggestions that Bangladeshi extremists have any links with Al-Qaeda.
Tuesday's first attack was at Chittagong's main court where three people -- a
suicide bomber and two police officers -- died. Five police officers and another
would-be suicide bomber were seriously injured, police said.
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