Dhaka: The US has blacklisted extremist outfit Harakat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B), suspected of involvement in bomb attacks in India and other countries, as a "global terrorist organisation".

With HuJI-B being named as a "specially designated global terrorist organisation", the US financial institutions will now be required to freeze assets and properties of the outfit that are in the US or "within the control of US persons," a US embassy statement said here.

It said HuJI chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, arrested by Bangladesh authorities, had in February 1998 issued a fatwa sponsored by Osama bin Laden that declared American civilians to be legitimate targets for attack.

"Since then HuJI-B has been implicated in a number of attacks in Bangladesh and abroad," the statement said.

The statement signed by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, also praised Dhaka s anti-militant campaign saying "Bangladesh has been a strong partner of the United States in fighting terrorism, and has taken effective action to bring HuJI terrorists to justice and to prevent further attacks".

Arrested HuJI-B leader Abu Zandal had recently told Bangladeshi authorities that the outfit had sent several consignments of grenades to Lashkar-e Toiba militants for carrying out attacks in India until 2004.

Bangladesh, which has already banned HuJI-B that has been pressing for Islamic rule in the country, immediately reaffirmed its position against terrorism.

"Bangladesh wants to reiterate its strong position against all types of sabotage and terrorism," Home Ministry Additional Secretary Abdur Rashid told reporters last evening.
Source : PTI