ISIS ideology took root amid political bickering
ISIS reverses course: Jihadists are leaving Syria, putting countries like Bangladesh under siege and driving wedges among politicians in the country
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New Delhi
FOR three years, Bangladesh has witnessed sporadic killing of minorities, free-thinking bloggers and members of the LGBT community amid signs of a growing ISIS presence. With the brutal murder of 22 diners, workers and police at the upscale Holey Artisan Bakery, Dhaka now joins Paris, Brussels, Orlando and Istanbul on the global map for terrorism. Distinguishing the Dhaka suspects from others is that they belong to the country's western-educated elite, and include a senior member of the ruling party.
The homegrown bunch made sure their crime got international airing, using the restaurant's wifi to post ghastly images on the Islamic State website. As leading terrorism expert Bruce Riedel noted, Bangladeshi terrorists have graduated from lone-wolf to wolf-pack attacks in extending the ISIS ideological footprint into South Asia.
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