State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar said yesterday they still continued the investigation to identify the militants' patrons.

He however declined to give the names surfaced in the investigation.

" Without adequate proof, we cannot go for action against the persons whose names have come out in the investigation. One can give others' names for personal grudge," Babar said yesterday.

The state minister was talking to reporters at his office on the progress of investigation into the cases filed for bomb attacks by Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) since August 17 last year.

A total of 698 people have been arrested so far in connection with 154 cases filed for the blasts on August 17 and 87 cases for the blasts that took place later. Police submitted charge-sheet in 183 cases while 56 cases are under investigation. Trial of 17 cases has been completed, trial of 81 cases is going on and final report has been submitted in another case, according to Babar.

The state minister expressed satisfaction over the role of police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and intelligence agencies in tracking down the militants.

"Although all the seven members of JMB's Majlish-e-Shura (top policy-making body) have been captured, we're not complacent. Dedicated teams are working to root out the menace from the country," he said.

Asked if the government has successfully fought militancy as it claimed on different occasions, he replied, "We're not complacent that many top militants leaders have been arrested. Fighting militancy is a continuous process and it is going on. That is why we have succeeded in seizing explosives from Bhaluka and Chittagong."

He claimed to have successfully destroyed the militants ideologically through motivational programmes across the country.

On blocking militants' explosive supply line, he said they have succeeded a lot but not 100 percent. "We've identified where the explosives were coming from and officially informed the authorities concerned," he said referring to smuggling of explosives from India.

The government has also identified the militants' local and foreign financial sources, he added.

"Now the process of bringing them (militants) to trial and awarding them punishment is on."

Babar emphasised executing the death penalty of the militants and mentioned that hearing of the Jhalakathi judges murder case is going on at the death reference bench of the High Court. "It will take a little time when it goes to the Appellate Division (of the Supreme Court) later," he said.