Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04LILONGWE680
2004-07-21 08:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Lilongwe
Cable title:  

INCREASE IN DEPORTEES BEING SENT BACK TO BANGLADESH

Tags:  ASEC CVIS KFRD MI 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

210814Z Jul 04
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000680 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR DS/CR/VF
DEPT FOR DS/CR/CIL
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF
DEPT FOR CA/VO/FP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC CVIS KFRD MI
SUBJECT: INCREASE IN DEPORTEES BEING SENT BACK TO BANGLADESH
RAISES SECURITY CONCERNS FOR GOM


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000680

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR DS/CR/VF
DEPT FOR DS/CR/CIL
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF
DEPT FOR CA/VO/FP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC CVIS KFRD MI
SUBJECT: INCREASE IN DEPORTEES BEING SENT BACK TO BANGLADESH
RAISES SECURITY CONCERNS FOR GOM



1. (SBU) SUMMARY: A British diplomat seconded to the
Malawi Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) contacted RSO about a
group of Bangladeshi males who had recently been deported.
He stated that Malawi Immigration authorities let most of
the men pass through Immigration even though they had been
ordered to detain them. RSO made contact with both the
ACB and Immigration and discovered that there has been an
increase in the instances of Bangladeshis traveling to
Malawi under false pretenses. The overriding concern is
one of alien smuggling and not terrorism, but there is
great concern that these aliens can obtain fake or
fraudulently obtained Malawian passports with ease.


2. (SBU) On July 6, 2004 nine Bangladeshi males were
detained after flying to Lilongwe via an Air Emirates
flight from Dubai (BG 011),which had been originally
scheduled to arrive on July 5 but had been delayed due to
mechanical reasons. They had originally flown to Dubai
from Dhaka. The men all arrived with little, if any
luggage and with 500 to 800 USD in new one hundred dollar
bills. Few could speak English and they said that they
were in transit to Mozambique. They did not have Malawian
visas because they can be applied for at the port of entry
(POE). They could not say who paid for their tickets.
They had used a National Travel Bureau in Dhaka, with
phone number 12.3.8230.3 to get them.


3. (SBU) The ACB heard that these men were arriving and
contacted the Immigration Department to have the men
detained. Despite orders to hold the men, only four were
stopped. The other five were found waiting in a taxi when
the ACB arrived at the airport. All nine were taken into
custody and subsequently deported.


4. (SBU) Malawi Immigration advised that they have such a
large problem with illegal immigrants from Bangladeshis
that they have instituted stricter guidelines on letting
them into the country. Without proof of a legitimate
business reason for traveling here all Bangladeshis are
deported without delay. Immigration believes these men
come here so they can get in order to obtain fake Malawian
passports, which. This would illallow them to travel to
the UK for up to six months without a visa. He feels they
may also try to get to the United States by first going to

the UK. Immigration stated that it is easy to get good
quality fake passports locally.


5. (SBU) The contact at the ACB advised that it would have
been easy for the men to get through Immigration as they
are susceptible to bribery. ACB and ConOff advised that
it is easy to get a legitimate Malawi passport for a
price.


6. (SBU) ConOff advised that it would be easy to spot the
group since they would not be able to communicate in
English, which is the predominant language, or Chichewa,
another commonly spoken local languagethese males as
engaging in fraud as Malawians speak English, while they
would not. Recently issued Malawian passports would also
raise numerous questions that would need to be answered
before any US visas were issued.


7. (SBU) Once the Bangladeshis were detained at the
airport a local immigration lawyer arrived. He refused to
provide details as to who contacted him. The ACB advised
that the taxi driver outside said that he was supposed to
take the men to the Crystal Lodge, a hotel in Lilongwe
that according to one FSN is frequented by both ex-pats
and locals and is known for prostitution and drug use.
They are currently investigating this hotel and the
immigration attorney.


8. (SBU) Copies of the passports were obtained from the
ACB. Biographic information on the deportees is as
follows, with the Father's name capitalized:

ABDULGAFUR, Ala Uddin
DPOB: 25APR75, Noakhali
Passport: P 0433771
Issued: 19JUN00

ABUL KHAYER, Abul Hossain
DPOB: 15JAN76, Feru
Passport: V 0913148
Issued: 10FEB04

AMANAT ULIAH, Saiful Islam
DPOB: 05JAN80, Noakhali
Passport: W 0022769
Issued: 29MAR04

ZEBOL HOQUE, Mossarof
DPOB: 20MAY72, Chi Hagoag
Passport: W 0299840
Issued: 23JUN04

ABUL KHAYER, Nurul Abser
DPOB: 15JAN79, Feri
Passport: V 0914689
Issued: 16FEB04

MOHAMMED MOSTAFA, Shahid Ullah
DPOB: 02MAR76, Feri
Passport: Q 0676188
Issued: 20SEP01

SURJUT ALI, Abdul Kuddus
DPOB: 02FEB76, Dhaka
Passport: W 0055255
Issued: 14MAR04

JULFE ALI, Khorshad
DPOB: 10MAY76, Camilla
Passport: W 0223852
Issued: 13MAY04

HABIBULLAH, Ala Uddin
DPOB: 05MAR69, Noakhali
Passport: W 0273464
Issued: 06JUN04


9. (SBU) SUMMARY: Though these men do not appear to have a
terrorism connection it should be noted that it is
possible they could use Malawi as a transit country or
springboard to other nations. Once here, they could
easily obtain travel documents (legitimate or false) and
then travel on to the United Kingdom or other Commonwealth
countries. This could be a possible pre-cursor to
attempting entry to the United States; an event that
Immigration officials said was possible and even likely.

RASPOLIC