Hikmatul Zihad was a previously unknown group that claimed responsibility for an assassination attempt on the leadership of the Awami League, the main political opposition party in Bangladesh. <P><br /><br />Nearly 20 people were killed, and hundreds were injured when unknown individuals threw several grenades and fired automatic weapons at Sheik Hasina, leader of the Awami League, at a rally in August 2004.  Although the attack was a failed assassination attempt on Hasina, the precision with which it was carried out led many observers to believe that a highly-organized group was behind the attempt.  Hasina herself immediately blamed the ruling political coalition in Bangladesh (which included two major Islamic fundamentalist parties), while many pointed to the myriad Islamic militant organizations known to be operating in-country. <P><br /><br />Nevertheless, the unknown Hikmatul Zihad claimed responsibility for the attack several days later in an email to a popular Bangladeshi newspaper.  In the email, a man named Hyder Rob identified himself as a member of Hikmatul Zihad, claimed responsibility for the attack, and promised future violence against Sheik Hasina.  Although the name Hikmatul Zihad (Wisdom of Jihad) identifies the group as Islamic, authorities were unable to find any evidence that the organization existed prior to the incident. <P><br /><br />Given the sophisticated nature of this attack, it is somewhat likely that the Hikmatul Zihad was a faction of a larger group of Islamic extremists.  At the time of the attack, there were thought to be a dozen Islamic militant groups operating in Bangladesh.  Chief among these organizations is the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI-B), a group with alleged ties to the al-Qaeda network.  Also during this time, attacks by Islamists against the Awami League, a secular party, were common, and Sheik Hasina had reported numerous death threats in recent days. <P><br /><br />Whether or not Hikmatul Zihad was a fully independent organization, it is clear that the group embraced ideology similar to that of other Islamic militants in Bangladesh.  These militant organizations want to set up an Islamic state in Bangladesh, much like Afghanistan under the Taliban.  In addition to targeting the Awami League, these groups frequently attack religious minorities in Bangladesh, such as Hindus and Ahmedis.  <P><br /><br />Although Bangladeshi authorities made one minor arrest in connection with the assassination attempt, the man was soon released and the case remains unsolved.  To that end, Hikmatul Zihad's claim of responsibility for the attack has never been verified.  <P><br />