Is the alleged local chief of Neo Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), who has been identified by the Islamic State (IS) as Abu Ibrahim Al-Hanif, in Bangladesh or has left the country remains a mystery as investigators say they are yet to trace him or know his whereabouts.
A high official of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of police said they are trying to arrest the new JMB leader but to no avail as they (police) "do not use any technological device."
"So we have to work manually - interrogating arrestees and observing certain areas for a long time," he told the Daily Observer. He, however, did not say what sort of technological device is needed to track down a militant or did they ever use it when arrested many militants in the recent months.
The new faction of JMB that follows the ideology of Islamic State is still recruiting new members, according to the investigators.
They said most of the mid-level leaders of the new faction of banned outfit JMB have fled to India while others remain still out of their radar tough the law enforcers have raided different places trying to arrest them.
Many have fled across the border after July 1 terror attack on the Holey Artisan café in the capital's Gulshan diplomatic area, the investigators said.
At least 33 militants from outlawed outfits have since been killed in a a series of raid by the law enforcers across the country.
An unknown number of their comrades have gone into hiding within and outside the country.
An investigating agency told The Daily Observer on Monday that the Neo JMB's recruitment process did not stop even though the law enforcers have killed dozens of its members including its military and operations chief Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury. .
Identities of the 12 leaders including a woman were found by interrogating several arrested members of the group and examining the laptop of Tamim Chowdhury recovered from his den in Narayanganj, police claim.
A high official of the (CTTC) unit told this correspondent "at least 6 or 7 of them left the country after the Gulshan attack and have now been staying in India."
Among others - who are in hiding -- Four of them have been identified as Sohel Mahfuz alias Hatkata Mahfuz, Ripon, Khalid and so-called "big brother" Junayed Hasan Khan.
Their comrades Iqbal, Manik, Mamun, Azadul Kabiraz, Badal and female wing leader Jebunnahar Shila are also on the run. Investigators say they are recruiting fresh members for the group.
The investigators are looking for three top-tier leaders - Gulshan attack coordinator Nurul Islam Marjan, IT wing in-charge Basharuzzaman alias Abul Bashar alias Chocolate and trainer Jahangir alias Rajib Gandhi.
The matter of fresh recruitment came to light after the latest raid on a New JMB den at Patartek of Gazipur. Some of the seven militants killed during the raid were recruited after the Gulshan attack, police say.
An official of the CTTC unit suspects that after the death of Tamim in Narayanganj and Faridul Islam alias Akash in Patartek raids, New JMB's operations wing leadership would now go to Marjan, a former student of Chittagong University linked to Islami Chhatra Shibir.
