'Attacks may increase in Bangladesh' - Europol

The Dhaka Times Desk The Netherlands-based European Police Office (Europol) said terrorist attacks in Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, may increase.

At the end of July this year, this organization published a report in this regard. This information has been given by the media citing Europol's website sources.

The report said the creation of IS and Al-Qaeda branches in Southeast Asia and multiple terrorist attacks targeting Westerners in Bangladesh could increase future attacks and kidnappings in those regions.

The Europol report also stated that Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) claimed responsibility for the killing of a Pakistani scholar and 3 bloggers (two Bangladeshis and one Pakistani, considered atheists and heretics).

In that report, the killing of an Italian national on 28 September 2015 and a Japanese national on 3 October 2015 in Bangladesh were identified as hit and run terrorist attacks. IS is said to have later claimed responsibility. IS has also demanded more attacks on the Shia community in Bangladesh and Bangladeshi security forces, according to a media report.