Iftekharul Bashar
Mahmudul Hasan Gunobi (Bangla: মাহমুদুল হাসান গুনোবি) is one of the enduring figures in Bangladesh’s Islamist militant scene. Designated by Bangladesh’s law enforcement as the spiritual leader of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansar al-Islam (Arabic: أنصار الإسلام, AAI), Gunobi represents the critical link between popular religious preaching and violent extremist recruitment. His acquittal and public re-emergence in 2024, following his high-profile arrest in 2021, underscores his and AAI’s resilience against government crackdowns.
Bangladeshi authorities assert that Gunobi’s importance is as a spiritual and philosophical leader. While not a military commander, he provides recruits with the theological foundation and psychological conditioning necessary to turn ordinary young men into hardened militants and suicide bombers. His operations reveal sophistication: he uses various religious platforms to mask clandestine recruitment and training networks, enabling AAI to propagate its ideology and motivate fighters to carry out lethal operations (Prothom Alo, July 14, 2021; Bangla Tribune, July 17, 2021).
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