Dhaka: An outlawed Al-Qaeda outfit yesterday claimed responsibility for the brutal killing of Bangladesh&rsquo;s first gay magazine editor and his friend here for &ldquo;pioneering&rdquo; homosexuality in the Muslim-majority country which has seen a string of murders of secular activists and bloggers.
<img title="Relatives and friends attend the funeral of Bangladeshi activist Xulhaz Mannan in Dhaka. Pic/AFP" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/apr/BANGLADESH-UNREST-HOMOSEXUA.jpg" alt="Relatives and friends attend the funeral of Bangladeshi activist Xulhaz Mannan in Dhaka. Pic/AFP" /> Relatives and friends attend the funeral of Bangladeshi activist Xulhaz Mannan in Dhaka. Pic/AFP
Xulhaz Mannan, the editor of &lsquo;Roopban&rsquo; &mdash; the only magazine in Bangladesh advocating gay rights &mdash; and his friend Tanay Majumder were killed yesterday by armed assailants who entered the flat impersonating courier company officials, police said as they detained a college student in connection with the twin murders.
The Al-Qaeda in the Indian Sub continent (AQIS) claimed responsibility for killing the duo, saying that the two were killed because they were &ldquo;pioneers of promoting and practicing homosexuality.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The mujahidin of Ansar al-Islam (AQIS, Bangladesh branch) were able to assassin Xulhaz Mannan and his associate Tanay Majumder. They were the pioneers of practicing and promoting homosexuality in Bangladesh,&rdquo; the AQIS said in a Twitter post. &ldquo;They were working day and night to promote homosexuality among the people of this land with the help of their masters, the US crusaders and its Indian allies,&rdquo; it said.
Bangladesh police have detained a college student and claimed to have found some &ldquo;important evidence&rdquo;. Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Shibli Noman said police found a bag used by the assailants which appeared as &ldquo;important evidence&rdquo; in investigating the case.
A police officer chased the killers and managed to snatch a bag from them as they were fleeing the scene, Noman said, adding that the officer was also injured in the scuffle. One police official said they found several items including a mobile phone in the bag.

The assailants killed &lsquo;Roopban&rsquo; editor, and his friend while impersonating courier company officials

Al-Qaeda killed Bangladesh magazine editor for 'pioneering homosexuality'

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The assailants killed &lsquo;Roopban&rsquo; editor, and his friend while impersonating courier company officials

Al-Qaeda killed Bangladesh magazine editor for 'pioneering homosexuality'

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Al-Qaeda killed Bangladesh magazine editor for 'pioneering homosexuality'

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