Bangladesh jails 14 JMB militants over 2005 bombings

Dhaka, Aug 8 (IANS) A Bangladesh court on Tuesday sentenced 14 militants of the banned Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to 20 years imprisonment for their roles in a series of deadly coordinated bomb attacks in 2005.

The Islamist militant group on August 17, 2005 triggered serial blasts at over 600 locations in 63 districts in Bangladesh soon after the government banned the outfit, bdnews24.com reported.

Simultanously, explosions rocked three locations in Tangail town, including a court premises. At least two people were killed and hundreds wounded in the bombings.

Along with 20-year jail term for all 14 accused, the court in the central district of Tangail also imposed on them a fine of 30,000 Taka ($371), the report said. Failing to pay the fine will make them stay in jail for another three years.

The Bangladeshi government has blamed the JMB for a series of attacks in recent years on foreigners, bloggers, human rights activists and minorities.

The JMB's offshoot, Neo-JMB, was behind last year's deadly attack on a Dhaka cafe in July, authorities said. Five gunmen stormed the cafe in Gulshan, an upscale Dhaka neighbourhood, killing 22 people.

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