Bangladesh security forces kill cafe massacre suspect

By Mainul Islam Khan

DHAKA, Bangladesh

The suspected mastermind behind a Dhaka cafe attack in July which claimed the lives of almost 20 hostages has been killed in a shootout with security forces, Bangladeshi police have said.

Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury was killed in a hideout in Narayanganj, near the capital Dhaka on Saturday, security sources said.

Sanowar Hossain, a senior police official, confirmed that a gun battle took place during a police raid based on information obtained from detained operatives of the Jamatul Mujahidin group, a banned militant organization.

Chowdhury, who was a Bangladeshi/Canadian dual citizen, had been identified by police as being behind the Gulshan cafe massacre.

The security forces had announced that Chowdhury carried a ransom of two million takas [$25,500].