Four Islamist extremists were sentenced to death in Bangladesh on Sunday for the 2016 decapitation of a senior Hindu priest during a spate of attacks targeting religious minorities in the nation.
The militant Islamic State (IS) group had claimed responsibility for the attack in the northern district of Panchagarh, but authorities blamed militants from Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
“The court... sentenced all four to death over the murder. They are JMB members,” said Abdur Rafique, a court official in Dhaka.
The priest was a prominent member of Bangladesh’s Hindu community, which makes up nearly 10 per cent of the South Asian country’s population of 168 million.
JMB was blamed for the murders of minorities, secular writers, publishers and foreigners between 2013 and 2016. Among them was a savage attack at a Dhaka cafe in 2016 that killed 22 people, mostly foreigners.
Seven extremists were sentenced to death in November over the assault claimed by the IS.
Neo JMB leader Jahangir Alam alias Rajib Gandhi and three of his accomplices were sentenced to death yesterday by a Rajshahi court for the 2016 murder of Hindu priest Joggeswar Dasadhikari Roy.
Jahangir is also an accused in another case of planning the Holey Artisan Café attack.
The other convicts are Rajibul Islam Molla alias Badhan alias Badal, Alamgir Hossain, and Ramzan Ali.Rajshahi's Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Anup Kumar delivered the verdict.
Rajibul has been absconding since the murder.
Jahangir, Alamgir and Ramzan were present in the court during announcement of the verdict.
Jogeswar Dasadhikari, 50, a priest of Sri Sri Shonto Gaurio Temple at Debiganj upazila's Sonapota area, was killed on February 21, 2016.
The assailants slit his throat and two devotees were injured as the criminals fired gunshots and exploded improvised explosive devices while fleeing.
Within hours, US-based SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online activity of jihadist organisations, said Islamic State claimed responsibility for killing the priest, but local authorities denied the presence of IS in the country.
In yesterday's verdict, three other accused -- Harej Ali, Khalilur Rahman and Md Rana -- were acquitted.
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