Bangladesh Islamists shouted Allahu Akbar as they stormed restaurant, beheaded some restaurant patrons, tortured those who couldn't recite a verse from Quran. Among the dead are 7 Japanese, 9 Italians, and one American-NBC News, Daily Star

7/2/16, "Bangladesh Attack: U.S. Citizen Among 20 Foreigners Killed in Dhaka Restaurant," NBC News, by Alastair Jamieson, Joseph Allcin, Arata Yamamoto and Wajahat S. Khan, Dhaka, Bangladesh

"Twenty foreigners, including a U.S. citizen, were killed by six heavily armed militants at an upscale restaurant in the diplomatic quarter of Dhaka early Saturday. The hours-long siege was eventually ended by Bangladeshi forces, officials said. 

Sharp weapons were used to kill the victims, with local media reporting that some were beheaded....

Nine Italians were also killed in the attack, Italy's foreign minister said, and one Italian was missing. 

There were also seven Japanese citizens killed, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Saturday. The five men and two women were consultants with the non-governmental Japan International Cooperation Agency....

Gunmen shouting "Allahu Akbar" stormed the popular Holey Artisan Bakery in the Gulshan district on Friday night during the Ramadan holy month. 

ISIS claimed responsibility for the atrocity, according to terror research firms Flashpoint Intelligence and Site Intelligence Group. The Amaq news agency, affiliated with ISIS, also posted photos purportedly showing hostages' bodies. NBC News has not verified the claim....

Gunfire was heard as troops moved to end the standoff more than 10 hours after the attack began. Journalists were not allowed near the scene....

At least four security personnel were killed responding to the attack, a senior police official, Assistant Superintendent Fazle-e-Elahi, told NBC News. 

Fazle-e-Elahi said most of the police casualties occurred when one hostage escaped, and as officers rushed to help him, a grenade was tossed at them from a balcony. The dead included the assistant police commissioner, he said....

"The attackers are not identified. They were shouting 'Allah Akbar' when they entered the restaurant," Fazle-e-Elahi said. A doctor at a nearby hospital told NBC News that six of the wounded were in critical condition."...

...................

7/2/16, "Those who could cite Quran were spared: Gulshan attack victim’s family," Daily Star, Bangladesh, Rashidul Hasan

"Those who could recite a verse from the Quran were spared, others were tortured, said a rescued hostage of the Gulshan restaurant attack where at least two lawmen were killed.

“The others were tortured by the gunmen,” said Rezaul Karim, father of Hasnat Karim who was held hostage inside Holey Artisan Bakery in the diplomatic zone for over 10 hours....
  
Gunmen stormed into the restaurant and took about 20 people, including foreigners dining there, hostage.... 

“They (gunmen) did not behave rough with the Bangladesh nationals,” Reazul said quoting his victim son Hasnat. “Rather they provided night meals for all Bangladeshis.”

“The gunmen were doing a background check on religion by asking everyone to recite from the Quran. Those who could recite a verse or two were spared. The others were tortured.”"...

READ MORE: Bloody end to Dhaka hostage crisis


................