Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05DHAKA6143
2005-12-15 06:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Dhaka
Cable title:  

BANGLADESH: 2005 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERROR

Tags:  PTER ASEC KISL PGOV KCRM BG 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 006143 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S/CT RHONDA SHORE, ED SALAZAR
DEPT FOR NCTC

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC KISL PGOV KCRM BG BG
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH: 2005 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERROR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 006143

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S/CT RHONDA SHORE, ED SALAZAR
DEPT FOR NCTC

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC KISL PGOV KCRM BG BG
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH: 2005 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERROR


1. The POC for Embassy Dhaka is Robert Wong, Political
Officer. Email: wongre@state.gov. The report will also be
sent to Rhonda Shore and Ed Salazar via email.


2. BEGIN TEXT

GENERAL ASSESSMENT

The Bangladesh government affirms full
support for the global war on terror, and in 2005
it adhered to nine additional UN Conventions on
Terrorism, leaving the International Convention
for the Suppression of Nuclear Terrorism as the
only one it has not joined. Prime Minister Begum
Khaleda Zia regularly condemned terrorism at
domestic and international forums. Bangladesh
enforces UN Security Council resolutions related
to terrorism, including the identification and
freezing of assets of individuals and
organizations designated as terrorists or
terrorist supporters. It banned as terrorist
organizations Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB),
Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB),and
Harkat ul-Jihad-I-Islami/Bangladesh (HUJI-B).

Bangladesh's limited success, however, in
countering JMB's escalating acts of terrorism in
2005 underscored the government's serious
institutional, resource, and political
constraints. Porous borders, endemic corruption,
and debilitating in-fighting between the two major
political parties continued to undermine the
government's broader counterterrorism posture.

There are no formal U.S.-Bangladesh
agreements on the investigation or prosecution of
acts of international terrorism against U.S.
citizens or interests. However, in 2005 there was
good cooperation between law enforcement agencies
on several cases relating to domestic terrorism.
With U.S. technical assistance, Bangladesh in 2005
drafted a new, comprehensive anti-money laundering
law. It is also working with the U.S. to
strengthen controls at land, sea, and aeronautical
ports of entry.

North Korea, Iran, and Libya have diplomatic
missions in Bangladesh. Cuba, Syria, and Sudan
have non-resident missions.

SAFE HAVEN ASSESSMENT

Bangladesh asserts there are no international
terrorist groups in Bangladesh, and denies
allegations that northeast Indian insurgent groups
operate from Bangladesh with the connivance of the
government. The Bangladesh military maintained a
large presence in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
(CHT),and periodically uncovered weapons caches
left over from dormant insurgencies in Burma and
the CHT. Bangladesh supports the Port Security
Initiative and the Container Security Initiative.

TERRORIST GROUPS

In 2005, there was a significant shift in
terrorism's targets, style, and tempo in
Bangladesh. Previously, attacks were on isolated
individuals, largely went unclaimed, and were not
seen as part of a broader, public campaign. In
2005, JMB emerged as an organization capable of
launching coordinated nationwide attacks on "un-
Islamic" persons and facilities in pursuit of its
goal of a fundamentalist Islamic society.

On August 17, JMB exploded nearly 500 coordinated
small bombs across the country. Leaflets found at
the blast sites threatened judges, government
officials, politicians, and other "enemies of
Islam," including the U.S. and the UK. In
November, JMB breached a major psychological
barrier by launching deadly suicide attacks, a
first in Bangladesh.

FOREIGN GOVERNMENT COOPERATION

There have been no attacks against U.S.
citizens or interests in Bangladesh.

END TEXT


3. Post submits information for the section
"Foreign Terrorist Organizations" keyed to the
2005 format.


4. BEGIN TEXT

Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh

DESCRIPTION

The JMB is a Bangladeshi Islamic extremist group
dedicated to the use of violence to achieve its
objective of a society governed by Sharia law. It
has no known international affliations. JMB made
its first appearance in the late 1990s, was
associated with several bombings in subsequent
years preceding the August 17 blasts, and was
banned by the Bangladesh government on February
23, 2005.

ACTIVITIES

On August 17, 2005, JMB claimed responsibility for
nearly 500 simultaneous small explosions
throughout Bangladesh. Additional bomb attacks
occurred, including the use of suicide bombers,
targeting judges, police, government offices,
traditional folk festivals and cultural groups,
and local non-governmental organizations.
Despite arrests and seizures of explosive
materials, JMB attacks continue and its leadership
remains at large.

STRENGTH
Estimates range from 11,000 to 1,000.

LOCATION/AREA OF OPERATIONS
Bangladesh

EXTERNAL AID
Unknown

END TEXT


5. As per instructions, post will send the text(as
a Word document) via unclassified email.
CHAMMAS