Counterterrorism officials yesterday claimed to have arrested two alleged operatives of “Neo JMB” in the city's Jatrabari and Demra areas.

The arrestees are Al Amin, 27, regional commander of the banned outfit's Sylhet chapter, and Sheikh Golam Hossain alias Milad, 27, said Najmul Islam, additional deputy commissioner of the cyber security unit of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit.

Acting on a tip-off that some militants were holding a meeting in Jatrabari's Matuail area to carry out targeted killings and attacks on important establishments, a CTTC team raided the place around 4:30pm on Friday and arrested Al Amin, he said.

Two other suspects managed to flee. But later police, based on information gleaned from Al Amin, arrested Milad in Demra Staff Quarter area around 7:30pm, Najmul said. 

During primary interrogation, Al Amin, who was form Sylhet, told police that he used different Facebook IDs, under the names like Tonmoy Bakshi and Noyon Chatterjee, to spread “provocative writings and similar items” on social media, law enforcers claimed.

He admitted that he joined militancy in 2015 after being influenced by one Saif alias Babul and later got acquainted with other militant suspects, including Osama alias Taskin, Abdus Salam, Faizullah and Milad, police claimed.

Police officials said militants use different encrypted apps to communicate and share organisational directives.

Milad who hailed from Habiganj district, had good connection with Al Amin, police said.

Several books and three mobile phone handsets were recovered from their possession, the law enforcers claimed. 

A case was filed with Jatrabari Police Station under the anti-terrorism act.