FATAH Combat System under investigation over alleged extremist activities

A Dhaka court on Sunday placed seven men on a three-day remand in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act over alleged extremist activities linked to “FATAH Combat System”, a Facebook page that investigators allege was used to promote extremist ideology under the guise of martial arts training.
The accused are Shah Amanat Sabir, Md Hossain Tanim, Md Junayed, Ataullah Shah, Md Abidur Rahman, Md Bayezid and Md Tahsin Islam, also known as Sultan and Musanna.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Monirul Islam granted the remand after Sub-Inspector Moniruzzaman of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit, the investigation officer, sought a seven-day remand for the accused.
Earlier in the day, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque ordered that the seven be shown arrested in the case, State Prosecutor Shamsuddoha Sumon said.
The case was filed on Saturday by Inspector (Investigation) A B Siddiki of Jatrabari police station against 16 named accused and several unidentified individuals, based on information gathered while the suspects were being questioned under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The other accused are Abu Usama Faisal, Walid Abdullah alias Abdul Bashar, Masud, Nurul Huda, Mahfuzur Rahman, Abu Sufian, Md Hedayet, Ramzan and Biplob. They remain absconding.
According to the first information report (FIR), documents obtained by the Daily Sun and police sources, the remanded accused are members of an organisation known as “Sabir Bhaiyer Jamaat”, allegedly led by the prime accused, Shah Amanat Sabir.
Police said six members of the group were arrested on 5 July from a sandy field in the Mini Cox’s Bazar area under Jatrabari police station. Tahsin Islam was later arrested in Jashore.
Investigators said they recovered thermal fuses, electrical wires, sound-producing firecrackers, lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, 180 metal balls of various sizes, scissors, machetes, a cleaver and an axe during Tahsin’s arrest.
According to the FIR, the group had allegedly been operating in an organised manner to promote and implement extremist ideology. Investigators alleged that members communicated through Telegram and other social media and messaging platforms using pseudonyms, private messages and channels while concealing their identities.
The FIR also alleges that Sabir operated the Facebook page “FATAH Combat System”, through which extremist activities were allegedly carried out under the cover of martial arts training. The page describes itself as the first “Shirk-free, Kufr-free, music-free and fully Shariah-compliant Islamic martial art”.
Investigators allege the group sought to undermine the country’s sovereignty, obstruct state development activities and establish a Shariah-based state through extremist ideology.
The remand application further alleges that members of the group conducted experimental explosions in remote areas under Sabir’s leadership. A video of one such explosion recently went viral on social media. Investigators submitted the footage and screenshots to the court in support of the remand plea.
According to investigators, Sabir admitted during preliminary questioning to his involvement in the explosions. Police alleged that the viral video shows him carrying a weapon while the footage was edited with background music associated with the Islamic State (IS).
Investigators also alleged that the group financed its activities through robbery and snatching, claiming that Sabir admitted to involvement in such activities during interrogation.
The defence rejected the allegations, maintaining that the accused had no links to militancy and were only trying to establish a Shariah-based martial arts system.
Defence counsel Riaz Uddin, representing Sabir, argued that his client had already spent six days on remand before the case was filed and that further remand over the same allegations was unnecessary. Referring to the explosion video, he said investigators were repeatedly seeking remand based on the same evidence.
Another defence lawyer, Md Saddam Hossain, representing Tanim, said his client had merely received Shariah-based martial arts training for self-defence and denied any involvement in extremist activities. Opposing the defence, State Prosecutor Shamsuddoha Sumon argued that the accused had used martial arts training as a cover for activities aimed at destabilising the country and threatening its sovereignty. He further alleged that the group claimed it was preparing to resist any possible Indian attempt to occupy the Jashore region but had instead been conducting explosive tests and receiving training in grenade attacks and the use of weapons. Sub-Inspector Moniruzzaman, the investigation officer, said no further details could be disclosed while the investigation was ongoing.
“We will disclose the findings at a press conference after the investigation is completed,” he said. Asked whether the group had any links with organisations outside the country, he replied: “We will not comment on that at this stage. The investigation is ongoing.”