Bangladesh claims it has identified Dhaka cafe attack mastermind

DHAKA: Bangladesh police today claimed it has identified the mastermind behind the worst terrorist attack in the country at a cafe in Dhaka's high-security diplomatic zone that killed 22 people, mostly foreigners.

"We have cracked the case of the Holey Artisan (Bakery) attack. Arrests will be made soon. The process is on," Dhaka metro police chief Asaduzzaman Mia said.

He claimed that it is now clear who had orchestrated the attack and how, but did not provide the details.

"We will be able to nab them soon. Police are working based on specific information," he was quoted as saying by bdnews24 online.

On the night of July 1, gunmen barged into the cafe in the upscale area and took the guests hostages.

The terrorists killed 22 people, among them 17 foreigners including an Indian, before army commandos stormed the cafe the next morning and rescued 13 hostages.

Bangladesh launched a massive security clampdown following the attack. It stepped up the crackdown after another assault by Islamists on July 6 on an Eid congregation in northern Sholakia in which two policemen and a woman were killed.

Officials said the terrorists had planned to attack the Muslims who had converged at the country's biggest Eid congregation.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed that it carried out the Dhaka cafe attack but Bangladesh government attributed both the assaults to homegrown militants. It, however, said the homegrown terrorists might have links with foreign outfits.