Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DHAKA352
2006-01-23 11:25:00
SECRET
Embassy Dhaka
Cable title:  

SPECULATION ON BDG'S FAILURE TO CATCH JMB LEADERS

Tags:  PTER KCRM PGOV 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.
S E C R E T DHAKA 000352 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2016
TAGS: PTER KCRM PGOV BG BG
SUBJECT: SPECULATION ON BDG'S FAILURE TO CATCH JMB LEADERS

Classified By: A/DCM D.C. McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (b)

S E C R E T DHAKA 000352

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2016
TAGS: PTER KCRM PGOV BG BG
SUBJECT: SPECULATION ON BDG'S FAILURE TO CATCH JMB LEADERS

Classified By: A/DCM D.C. McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (b)


1. (SBU) On January 19, 2,000 police and paramilitary
personnel cordoned off an area in Kushtia, 120 kilometers
west of Dhaka, to hunt for fugitive JMB leader Bangla Bhai,
according to police and media reports. Five helicopters, a
huge deployment for Bangladesh, supported the effort
reportedly triggered by a tip that senior JMB leaders were
spotted at a local mosque. At nightfall, police imposed a
curfew and told people to stay indoors until morning, and
continued the search in this Indian border area.


2. (SBU) After police officials acknowledged the next day
that Bangla Bhai remained at large, media and others quickly
began speculating why the "fiasco" happened and what had
actually triggered the massive manhunt. Some alleged that
Bangla Bhai escaped because of police collusion or a tip from
a government informant, while others said that Bangla Bhai
and JMB supremo Abdur Rahman are already secretly in
government custody. Another theme was that the BDG
stage-managed the event just to suggest that it is serious
about catching them, and another said the BDG wanted to
bolster its standing before SA A/S Rocca arrives on January
26 to propose, local media say, a USD 100 million CT program
with Bangladesh.


3. (S) On January 23, during a meeting with Peace Corps Chief
of Security Pat Hogan (septel),Home Minister of State Babar
told Charge that a paid JMB informant had told the BDG that
two to three JMB leaders, and possibly Bangla Bhai, were
among a group of 25 performing morning prayers at a rice mill
in Kushtia. However, since there are more than 250 rice
mills in that area, local police needed large reinforcements
to identify the right mill and effectively cordon off escape
routes from the area. Babar assured the Charge that the BDG
is going full speed to arrest JMB leaders and knows that the
fight against JMB does not end until at least Bangla Bhai and
Abdur Rahman are arrested.


4. (S) Separately, DAO is reporting in its channels that an
Indian High Commission source has confirmed an Indian press
report that Indian police have arrested Abdur Rahman near
Calcutta and are transporting him to New Delhi for
interrogation. Babar told Charge he had no information on
this report. We understand that Consulate Calcutta has been
unable to confirm the arrest with police contacts, some of
whom were not available because today is an Indian holiday.
(Note: If Abdur Rahman is under arrest in India, this is
politically explosive for the BDG as well as the opposition
Awami League.)


5. (C) Comment: In the past week, local media have reported
progress on the BDG's drafting of an Anti-Terrorism Act and
an Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention
Act. It has also been reported widely that the USG has a USD
100 million CT program on tap for Bangladesh, which could be
garble of the notional USD 100,000 ATA CT program we have
broached to MHA. There's also been press reporting about a
possible U.S.-Bangladeshi Counter-Terrorism Joint Working
Group, an old initiative by Bangladesh U.S. Ambassador
Chowdhury when he was Foreign Secretary to put Bangladesh on
the same CT level as India and Pakistan. Regardless, there
is a lot of spinning underway here in advance of A/S Rocca's
visit to bolster the BDG's CT credentials. Catching Bangla
Bhai and Abdur Rahman remains a key test for the BDG since
both men are in a position to embarrass the BDG greatly if
they start talking about their ties to senior police and BNP
officials.
CHAMMAS