ARRESTED DR. GALIB: TERRORIST OR DUPE?

S E C R E T DHAKA 000914

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2015
TAGS: PTER KCRM PGOV BG
SUBJECT: ARRESTED DR. GALIB: TERRORIST OR DUPE?

REF: DHAKA 0815

Classified By: P/E Counselor D.C, McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (d)


1. (SBU) Following the February 23 arrest of professor
Muhammad Asadullah al-Galib and 16 other alleged militants,
and the banning of two related organizations, JMJB (Jagrata
Muslim Janata Bangladesh) and JMB (Jamaat ul-Mujahidin
Bangladesh),newspapers continue to describe professor Galib
as an extreme advocate of armed struggle. According to news
reports, police plan to charge Galib, as the chief of Ahle
Hadith Andolon Bangladesh (AHAB),for a number of explosions
and bombings in recent weeks (reftel). Newspapers report that
police raided Galib's house finding evidence of Galib's
extremist connections, which includes large foreign sources
of funding used to support some 600 madrassahs, mosques and
health centers. At the same time, Galib, under interrogation
by the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC),denies directing any
armed activities, according to reports.


2. (S) Corroborating sources are unable to say whether Galib,
who gives contridictory statements about his activities, is
largely responsible for recent violence that includes
bombings at a jatra (folk) festival and explosions at Grameen
Bank and the NGO, BRAC. These sources are unable to confirm
if any explosive materials or ammunition have been found, the
degree of foreign funding, nor the source of the foreign
funds.
THOMAS