The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Faridpur

RAB recovered nine sophisticated firearms from the residence of a "godfather" businessman in the town yesterday, on the heels of a couple of weapon hauls in the southwestern region.

Three persons were also arrested from the imposing house of the businessman, Golam Rabbani Khan Moon Mia, who was away from home at the time of the predawn raid, official sources said.

They are caretaker of the house Sheikh Sheikh Farid, security-guard Akmat Ali and Nasir Laskar, a relative of Moon Mia.

Rapid Action Battalion sources said the three arrested persons would be interrogated about the arms kept in the house of Moon Mia, known as a BNP supporter.

"The elite force came to know for sure that a group of terrorists sheltered by Moon Mia would keep their arms at the residence of Moon Mia in the early hours of the day thinking the place as safe for it," said a RAB official.

Acting on the secret information, a team of RAB-8, led by a Magistrate, raided the palatial house of Moon Mia and recovered the arms and ammunition, including two 9mm pistols, two shutter-guns, and one .22-bore rifle.

Captain of RAB Faridpur camp Major Shabbir Rahman Osmani said, "Faridpur is one of the main transit points for the smuggling of illegal arms for terrorists."

He added: "Terrorists have long used this district as a route of illegal arms business. Attempt is on to track down this gang."

The elite force said Moon Mia is the "godfather of local terrorists". He was earlier arrested during the 'operation clean heart', but later released on bail.

Moon was sued in two extortion cases this year.

Imon, a top terror of the capital, in his statement to CID named Moon as a

financier in the killing of Faridpur district BNP leader Liakat in Mirpur in Dhaka.

Moon Mia, president of local bus owners' association, contested the Sadar upazila election as chairman candidate and became third in the race.

The haul of huge arms along with two magazines and two bullets is first of its kind in the district.