Dhaka Terrorist Was Inspired by Zakir Naik - Creator of the Chicago Based "Peace Phone"

Dr. Zakir Naik

Five weeks ago I reported that the "first Islamic phone" or "Peace Phone," created by Dubai-based Dr. Zakir Naik (also spelled Nayak) was being shipped from Chicago. Naik is an internationally known Muslim writer and speaker. He is also a straight down the line death-to-apostates-and-gays, dhimmi-status-for-all-non-Muslims-and-it's-okay-to-have-sex-with-your-female-slaves sharia supporter who has also made many statements supportive of terrorism. He is banned from the UK, Canada and Malaysia.

Now The Daily Star, Bangladesh's main English paper, lists him as one of three figures that inspired the five Dhaka terrorists. One of the five, Rohan Imtiaz--the well-to-do son of a Bangladeshi politician--posted on Facebook that Naik's words and writings had urged him to become a terrorist.

Two of the five young militants who have slaughtered 20 innocent people Friday night at Holey Artisan Bakery used to follow three controversial Islamists -- Anjem Choudary, Shami Witness and Zakir Nayek. 

Militant killer Nibras Islam, 22, used to follow two alleged suspected recruiters of Islamic State -- Anjem Choudary and Shami Witness -- on Twitter in 2014. 

Another killer Rohan Imtiaz, son of an Awami League leader, propagated on Facebook last year quoting Peace TV’s controversial preacher Zakir Nayek “urging all Muslims to be terrorists”. 

A Pakistan-origin British citizen, 49-year-old Anjem is now facing trial in England for breaking the British anti-terrorism law. Shami Witness is the Twitter name of 24-year-old Mehdi Biswas of Bangalore in India, who is also facing trial for running propaganda for the IS. 

Shami was arrested in December 2014 following an investigation into his Twitter account which was last active in August 2014. Anjem’s twitter account became inactive from August 2015 after terror charges were brought against him. 

Dr Nayek is banned in UK, Canada and Malaysia and is a controversial figure in his home country India. He is wildly popular in Bangladesh through his Peace TV although his preaching often demeans other religions and even other Muslim sects. 

This means at least in the case Nibras and Rohan, they did not become radicalised overnight. They have been consuming radical materials for one to two years before finally disappearing in February-March and reappearing as “IS killers” Friday night at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan.

A spokesman for Naik's Islamic Research Foundation responded that Dr. Naik has many followers and he cannot be responsible for the actions of all of them.

But where did the young killer get the idea that Naik was "urging all Muslims to be terrorists"?

Three days ago, a Muslim death squad hacked to death twenty innocents at a restaurant in Dhaka. If you want a "Peace Phone" created by the man who inspired at least one of them, you can go to 2140 W. Fulton street in Chicago and buy one.