Islamic radicals murder 20 hostages in café siege, quizzing their victims
on the Koran — then butchering those who failed to recite passages
(FOX)- At least seven Islamic terrorists attacked an upscale restaurant in the diplomatic quarter of Bangladesh’s capital Friday night, killing 20 people and taking more than a dozen others hostage before confronting authorities in a 10-hour long standoff.
Early Saturday, a Bangladeshi commando raid supported by armored vehicles resulted in the deaths of at least six attackers and the capture of a seventh. Thirteen hostages were rescued. Two police officers were killed in an earlier gun battle with the militants.
The Islamic State (ISIS) group claimed responsibility for the attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka’s Gulshan area, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist activity online. The ISIS-affiliated Amaq news agency posted photos purportedly showing the bodies of hostages, though their authenticity could not be immediately confirmed.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina condemned the attack in a nationally televised speech, vowing to fight militant attacks in the country and urging people to come forward with information.
“Anyone who believes in religion cannot do such [an] act,” Hasina said. “They do not have any religion, their only religion is terrorism.”
At a news conference, Army Brigadier General Naim Asraf Chowdhury said most of the victims had been killed with sharp weapons on Friday night.
Earlier, a police official told AP that that five bodies were seen lying in pools of blood at the restaurant. It was not immediately clear whether they were the remains of militants or hostages.
A Bangladeshi army spokesman said all the victims were foreigners, though their nationality was not disclosed. The Japanese government said that seven of its citizens were unaccounted for while an eighth had been rescued in the commando raid. Italian state TV reported Friday that seven Italian nationals were being held in the restaurant.