SUMMARY OF SURINAMESE PRESS COVERAGE OF ROGER KHAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARAMARIBO 000424

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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DEPT FOR WHA/CAR LLUFTIG, INL, L/LEI, WHA/PD
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
CARACAS FOR LEGAAT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM PREL PGOV KPAO NS
SUBJECT: SUMMARY OF SURINAMESE PRESS COVERAGE OF ROGER KHAN
ARREST WEEK of July 3

Ref: A) Paramaribo 415

B) Paramaribo 392

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1. The deportation of Roger Khan from Suriname
continues to receive both front-page and electronic media
coverage this week. (See reftel A and B for earlier
coverage). The Times of Suriname published the results of
an opinion poll conducted on July 5 by a respected
Surinamese polling organization that showed broad support
for Khan's deportation. The Institute of Development
Oriented Studies [IDOS, an independent polling group
affiliated with Suriname's sole University.] polling
results indicate that 47.9 percent of Surinamese approved
of the deportation of Roger Khan, while 27.3 percent
believe that it would have been better for the GOS to
prosecute him in Suriname; 24.7 percent registered no
opinion. IDOS further found that 70 percent of the people
polled believe that Khan is a criminal; with 53.8 percent
responding that they understood the reason the GOS chose to
deport him. A minority of 18.3 percent said they were in
agreement with statements made by Khan's attorney, Mr.
Erwin Kanhai, that U.S. agents kidnapped Khan. Of those
sampled, 62.45 percent were of the opinion that Attorney
General Subhas Punwasi had handled the matter properly in
accordance with Surinamese law.


2. This division of opinion was roughly echoed on July 6
in an unscientific "man in the street" opinion poll in
which the newspaper Dagblad Suriname canvassed 8 people
randomly asking them how important it was for the GOS to
keep Khan in Suriname for the sake of prosecution. Six out
of 8 people approved of Khan's deportation, with one even
referring to him as 'the second Bin laden.' Of the two
disagreeing with the government's action, one thought he
should have been prosecuted in Suriname and the other
questioned his being a true threat to Suriname's national
security. These two also believed Khan should have received
better treatment from the officers who took him to the
airport and one of the eight (still unconvinced of the
government's accounting of events) voiced his concern that
Americans may have come on Surinamese soil to apprehend
him. An editorial appearing on Thursday (7/6/2006) in the
daily newspaper, de Ware Tijd (DWT) strongly supported the
GOS's decision. It stated, "Lady Justice is blind, but she
holds a scale" wherein the editor explained that Suriname
had to weigh all options and with public interest in mind
the State chose to deport Khan, who posed a real threat to
national security.


3. On Monday, Sky Radio broadcast a live 3-hour call-in
talk show with the Minister of Justice and Police
Chandrikapersad Santhoki in which he fielded questions from
listeners reacting to news reports of Khan's capture and
deportation. On Tuesday following the broadcast, the daily
newspaper DWT published an editorial praising the
Minister's candid remarks and said his performance should
stand as a model for how others in the government should
address matters of grave public concern.


4. DWT also published an interview with the Attorney
General on Wednesday in which he revealed for the first
time that he had ordered an investigation into attempts by
members of Khan's criminal network to free him from
custody. Mr. Punwasi said that a prison guard was offered a
bribe $ 500,000 USD to facilitate a breakout attempt.
Immediately after being offered the bribe the officer
notified his superiors and as a result, the authorities
were able to enhance security. The AG said that his office
knows who approached the prison guard and that the source
of the money was from Guyanese criminal circles, but a
Surinamer offered it to the guard. The investigations also
revealed that these Guyanese criminals also had detailed
drawings of the Santo Boma Prison were Khan was being held.
The AG further explained that immediately upon learning of
the attempt to free Khan plans were made to deport him. For
security reasons, and realizing the extent of Guyanese
involvement, it was decided not to transport Khan overland.
Simply moving him around Paramaribo in a vehicle was

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difficult which led to the decision to give Khan's attorney
access to him at prison rather than allow him to travel to
the Court of Justice for an interview.


5. There is also ongoing coverage of demonstrations against
Suriname and the U.S. by family and friends of Roger Khan.
The De Ware Tijd noted they protested in front of the
Embassies of Suriname and the United States in Georgetown,
Guyana, highlighting their displeasure with the way in
which Khan was handed over to American authorities.
This follows earlier coverage of Khan's mother protesting
in front of the Surinamese Embassy in Washington, D.C.

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