Britain, Bangladesh to set up anti-terrorism group

By Nizam Ahmed

DHAKA (Reuters) - Britain and Bangladesh are working to forge strong cooperation to defeat terrorism which is an increasing threat to both countries, Britain's security minister said on Sunday.

"We must work together as the world including Britain and Bangladesh are under threat of terrorism," Lord West, Britain's parliamentary under-secretary for security and counter-terrorism, told reporters after arriving in Dhaka for a three-day visit.

"The governments must cooperate with each other against terrorism as the terrorists of different countries are gaining strength through mutual assistance," West said.

Earlier, after meeting with Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Aaffair, Hasan Mahmud, West expressed concern over "radicalisation of young Muslim people".

"Terrorism, an international phenomenon, should be tackled through international cooperation," he said.

He said Britain would extend all assistance to Bangladesh, which has faced a series of bombing attacks by Islamist militants, to combat the menace.

Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, one of several outlawed Islamist groups seeking to turn mostly Muslim Bangladesh into a sharia-based Islamic state, was blamed for a series of deadly bombings in late 2005.

At least 30 people were killed and some 150 others were wounded in those attacks.