Muslim militant group hack American Atheist blogger to death

A popular American Atheist blogger, Avijit Roy, was hacked to death with machetes and meat cleavers by a Muslim militant group in Bangladesh.

Reports say Dr. Roy was walking down the street after he attended a book fair with his wife, Rafida on Thursday when the horrific attack occurred.

Avijit Roy was reportedly a prominent American blogger from Atlanta, Georgia who routinely spoke out against religious extremism.

His wife, Rafida Ahmed, was also seriously injured in the meat cleaver and machete attack and was taken to a Bangladesh hospital with critical injuries.

Reports say Dr. Roy was killed after receiving three “powerful blows” to the head by members of the Muslim militant group in Dhaka.

Roy was said to be of Hindu descent who are the religious minority in Bangladesh and have reportedly faced cultural obstacles and persecution in the country throughout history.

However, an Islamic extremist group, 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. Roy was in retaliation for the American blogger’s 'crime against Islam.'

Roy had reportedly received death threats online for several years.

The Muslim group 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.

It was gathered that 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 7 members after she tried unsuccessfully to protect her husband and thwart the armed men.

The attack had taken place adjacent to the Dhaka University Central Mosque where several meat cleavers stained with blood were found near the crime scene.

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.'

Bangladesh police officers reportedly have no leads in the violent attack.