Radical Islamist leader, Noor Hussain Noorani, personally threatened the life of Bangladeshi editor Salah Uddin Choudhury yesterday. Noorani heads the radical Khatmey Nabuat Movement (KNM), which clashed with police last week after it tried to attack an Ahmadi prayer service in the capital of Dhaka. The Ahmadi are a Muslim group that has angered fundamentalists by its belief that Muhammed was not the final prophet, and for their belief in the crucifixion of Jesus. KNM and others have been demanding that the government declare the Ahamadi non-Muslim. They are allied with various Muslim extremist groups in pressing that agenda and the imposition of Sharia (Muslim law) throughout all of Bangladesh.
Choudhury, a Muslim, has been associated with various causes opposed by Bangladeshi Islamists ever since he was arrested in 2003 when he tried to go to Israel. Noorani became incensed at Choudhury after he published an editorial praising an article that warned police and the public about KNM’s intention to attack the Ahamadi last week. Previously, KNM had operated unmolested in Bangladesh, but police blocked KNM attacks both on Friday and Sunday. Noorani was injured in the Sunday melee and taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released.
Noorani called the editorial office of Weekly Blitz, Choudhury’s paper three times within eight minutes Thursday evening. He called from his cell phone and spoke with Circulation Manager Amanur Rashid Aman. According to Aman, Noorani sounded highly agitated on the phone and repeatedly threatened to kill Choudhury and “blow away the Blitz office,” located in downtown Dhaka. When informed of the threat, Choudhury, whom Islamic radicals have threatened before for his anti-terrorist stance, went to the police and filed a report. The report noted the death threats and identified the mobile phone number from which the call originated as Noorani’s.
“It wasn’t even unnecessary for me to inform the police,” Choudhury said, “since they have been intercepting all my calls for months. And because Noorani is in the limelight right now you know they are intercepting his as well.” Bangladeshi officials have long intercepted all international calls, and calls by and to dissidents and religious minorities.
A copy of the report had an official stamp showing that police had seen it, but thus far they have taken no action either to protect Choudhury or Blitz offices. Choudhury complained bitterly that when another paper recently received a threat by mail, the police arrived immediately to investigate the threat and protect the paper.
Choudhury was freed on bail last year after seventeen months in prison after he warned about the rise of radical Islam in Bangladesh, urged his nation to recognize Israel, and advocated interfaith understanding and religious equality. He still faces sedition charges, although government officials admit there is no substance to them.
