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Bangladesh Islamists sentenced to death for 2016 cafe attack | Bangladesh Islamists sentenced to death for 2016 cafe attack |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Seven Islamists have been sentenced to death for a 2016 attack on a cafe in the Bangladeshi capital in which 22 people, mostly foreigners, were killed. | |
The attack on the Holey Artisan cafe in Dhaka was carried out by a group of five men, who took diners hostage. | The attack on the Holey Artisan cafe in Dhaka was carried out by a group of five men, who took diners hostage. |
Eight people were on trial, accused of planning and supplying the attackers with weapons. One man was acquitted. | Eight people were on trial, accused of planning and supplying the attackers with weapons. One man was acquitted. |
The 12-hour siege was Bangladesh's deadliest terrorist attack. Most of the victims were Italian or Japanese. | The 12-hour siege was Bangladesh's deadliest terrorist attack. Most of the victims were Italian or Japanese. |
The attack was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group, but Bangladesh disputed this, instead holding a local militant group responsible. | The attack was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group, but Bangladesh disputed this, instead holding a local militant group responsible. |
Since the attack, Bangladesh authorities have led a brutal crackdown on militants it sees as a destabilising force in the predominantly Muslim country. | Since the attack, Bangladesh authorities have led a brutal crackdown on militants it sees as a destabilising force in the predominantly Muslim country. |
Public prosecutor Golam Sarwar Khan, speaking after the verdict was delivered, said the charges against the accused "were proved beyond any doubt". | Public prosecutor Golam Sarwar Khan, speaking after the verdict was delivered, said the charges against the accused "were proved beyond any doubt". |
"The court gave them the highest punishment," the prosecutor told reporters. | "The court gave them the highest punishment," the prosecutor told reporters. |
The seven convicted men were accused of belonging to Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), an outlawed group. | The seven convicted men were accused of belonging to Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), an outlawed group. |
Sentencing the men in Dhaka on Wednesday, a judge said they wanted to undermine public safety and create anarchy. | |
Some of the men shouted "Allahu Akbar" (an Arabic phrase meaning "God is greatest") as they were led away from the packed courtroom, AFP news agency reported. | |
One of the suspected masterminds of the attack, Nurul Islam Marzan, was killed in a shootout with anti-terrorism police in January 2017, authorities said. | |
How did the attack happen? | How did the attack happen? |
On the evening of 1 July 2016, five gunmen burst into the Holey Artisan cafe in the upmarket Gulshan district of Dhaka. | On the evening of 1 July 2016, five gunmen burst into the Holey Artisan cafe in the upmarket Gulshan district of Dhaka. |
Armed with assault rifles and machetes, the young attackers opened fire and took diners hostage at gun-point. | Armed with assault rifles and machetes, the young attackers opened fire and took diners hostage at gun-point. |
The attack saw victims inside the cafe, most of whom were foreigners, shot or hacked to death by the militants. | The attack saw victims inside the cafe, most of whom were foreigners, shot or hacked to death by the militants. |
Army commandos were called in after two police officers died trying to fight the militants. | |
After a 12-hour stand-off, the commandos stormed the building and rescued 13 hostages, killing all five militants behind the attack. | |
The casualties included nine Italians, seven Japanese, an American and an Indian. Family members and friends of the victims had gathered outside site of the attack, anxiously waiting for news. | |
Bangladesh Army Brig Gen Naim Asraf Chowdhury said the victims had been "brutally" attacked with sharp weapons. | Bangladesh Army Brig Gen Naim Asraf Chowdhury said the victims had been "brutally" attacked with sharp weapons. |
"It was an extremely heinous act," Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in a televised address at the time. "What kind of Muslims are these people? They don't have any religion." | "It was an extremely heinous act," Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in a televised address at the time. "What kind of Muslims are these people? They don't have any religion." |
How did the authorities respond? | |
Officials say more than 100 Islamist extremists were killed and nearly 1,000 others arrested in a wave of operations that followed the attack. | |
Before that there had been a string of deadly attacks on secular writers, bloggers and member of religious minorities. | |
The security forces were subjected to intense criticism for failing to prevent the violence. | |
There have been persistent worries over the authorities' tactics. | |
The UN and others have blamed the security forces for enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings and use of torture. |