Avijit Roy: American Blogger Hacked To Death With Machetes By Muslim Group In Bangladesh
American blogger Dr. Avijit Roy was hacked to death with machetes and meat cleavers by a Muslim militant group while walking down the street in Bangladesh. The horrific attack occurred on Thursday while the Atlanta, Georgia man was attending a book fair with his wife Rafida Ahmed.
Avijit Roy was reportedly a prominent American blogger who routinely spoke out against religious extremism. Rafida Ahmed was also seriously injured in the meat cleaver and machete attack and was taken to a Bangladesh hospital with critical injuries. Roy, a naturalize U.S. citizen, was of a Hindu descent. Hindus are a religious minority in Bangladesh and have reportedly faced cultural obstacles and persecution in the country throughout history.
Dr. Roy was reportedly killed after receiving three “powerful blows” to the head by members of the Muslim militant group in Dhaka. Avijit Roy was also a bio-engineer and an atheist. Bangladesh police officers reportedly have no leads in the violent attack.
A prominent Bangladeshi-American blogger has been hacked to death in the street by militant Muslims after denouncing religious extremism. Ansar Bangla 7 has claimed “credit” for the machete and meat cleaver attack in Bangladesh. The group released a statement saying that the murder of Dr. Avijit Roy was retaliation for the American blogger’s “crime against Islam.” Roy has reportedly received death threats online for several years.
Ansar Bangla 7 took to social media to rejoice after the attack of Dr. Avijit Roy and his wife. The messages posted online indicated that the blogger was a prime target because he was an American. “The target was an American citizen. two-in-one. #America recently martyred two of our brothers in #Khurasan & #Shaam. #Revenge+#Punishment.” The Khurasan and Shaam references pertain to the nations of Afghanistan and Syria.
As at least two men attacked Dr. Roy, his wife ran into the crowd and attempted to flee. Rafida Ahmed is believed to have sustained deep cuts to both her head and throat. The blogger’s body was reportedly found in a pool of blood. Ahmed, who is also a blogger, was only attacked by the alleged Ansar Bangla seven members after she tried unsuccessfully to protect her husband and thwart the armed men. The attack took place adjacent to the Dhaka University Central Mosque.
Several meat cleavers stained with blood were found near the crime scene. Bangladesh News 24 stated that Avijit Roy’s autopsy report revealed that the American blogger sustained three “deep gashes” to the head which cut into both skull and brain. The physicians who examined the body and conducted the autopsy also stated that the machete and meat cleaver attack appeared to have been carried out by “professional killers” who acted in a manner consistent with “planning, skill, and brutality.”
[Images via: Facebook and Natalia Davidovich / Shutterstock.com ]
