Raksha Anirveda
SECURITY WATCH
JMB and Neo-JMB: Clear and Present Danger While the Bangladesh-based JMB and Neo-JMB have spread their terror tentacles to several Indian states, what makes them exponentially dangerous is growing proximity and links to global terror groups including the Islamic State By Suraj Ganesan and Deepika Uppala
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www.raksha-anirveda.com
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ince its formation in 1998, the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB)— also known as Neo-JMB more recently— has been associated with some of the most brutal attacks in the country. Working alongside the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Harkat ul Jihad Islami—Bangladesh (HUJI-B), the group sought to establish an Islamic state through political process coupled with violence.
JMB was responsible for the synchronised bombings across 50 towns and cities in Bangladesh in August 2005 and the subsequent suicide attacks against government officials, judges, lawyers, and professors. The attacks led to the arrest and execution of several senior JMB leaders, including its chief-incommand Sheikh Abdur Rahman. This coincided with multiple arrests of both HuJI-B and JMB rank-andfile members in the country forcing
the terrorist group into a period of inactivity. However, since the Shahbagh protests of 2013 in Bangladesh and the incursion of the Islamic State (IS) into the South Asian nation, JMB has continued to evolve and carry out attacks. The group has also demonstrated its ability to conduct cross-border attacks in India—notably the Burdwan blasts in 2014. This article briefly explores the threat posed by JMB (or Neo-JMB) in
