SENIOR ARMY OFFICER BRIEFS EMBASSY ON HASINA ARREST

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001176 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2017 TAGS: KDEM PHUM PGOV PREL BG SUBJECT: SENIOR ARMY OFFICER BRIEFS EMBASSY ON HASINA ARREST REF: A. DHAKA 1156 ¶B. DHAKA 1152 ¶C. DHAKA 1028 ¶D. 05 DHAKA 06356 ¶E. DHAKA 390 ¶F. DHAKA 237 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Geeta Pasi; Reason 1.4(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: A senior military official told the Charge d'Affaires a.i. that Hasina was charged with one charge of extortion on July 16, 2007 and other charges would follow. He predicted that Khaleda Zia will soon be arrested and the ban on politics would be lifted after her arrest. He insisted that Jamaat Islami would not benefit from the major parties disarray and claimed that Bangladeshi terrorists are nearly under control. The official requested U.S. assistance in the GOB's anti-corruption efforts. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On July 17, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence Counterterrorism Chief Brigadier General Amin met with Charge, Defense Attache, Regional Affairs Officer, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, and poloff (notetaker) at his request to update us on events in Bangladesh. Amin said that both Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia were given a number of options to exit politics gracefully but declined the offers, leading to the arrest of Hasina the day before and the upcoming arrest of Zia. HASINA CHARGED WITH EXTORTION; ZIA ARREST NEXT -------------- --- ¶3. (C) Contrary to media reports, Amin said Hasina was charged with extortion related to an electrical generator contract where a bidder paid a kickback in order to get a contract (ref B). Amin added that Hasina will be charged for the murder of ten to eleven people killed when she ordered the burning of a bus in 2004 that resulted in their deaths. He said there could be as many as twenty other charges. "We expect the first case to go to court soon, within ten days' time, and when it starts it will be completed within 45 days." Amin added that Hasina had charged in April 2007 in relation to October 2006 political violence-related deaths. ¶4. (C) In the wake of her arrest, Amin opined that "there could be violence, but we believe we have things under control." He acknowledged that Hasina's son, Joy (currently in the U.S.),could inspire demonstrations, but that the authorities have contacted village leaders, political party leaders and others and warned them not to hold any demonstrations in support of Hasina. ¶5. (C) He said that Zia will be arrested to be "evenhanded." He opined that Zia knows this and is prepared for her own arrest. "She must be counting the days." On July 18, Zia released a statement criticizing the government's treatment of Hasina when she was arrested, though not the actual framing of charges against her. KINGS PARTY -------------- ¶6. (C) Amin said Ferdaus Quarishi, a political unknown, has taken the initiative to create a "king's party" (ref C). He said Qaurishi's party is mostly composed of dissidents from other parties and could serve as a source of "fresh" political leadership but expected the BNP and the AL to keep most of its supporters. BAN ON POLITICS TO BE LIFTED BUT A BAN TO BE PLACED ON STUDENT POLITICS -------------- ¶7. (C) Amin anticipated the current ban on politics would be lifted in late August/September, "if things work out." Amin said the government will soon announce a ban on student politics, noting that the student politics (i.e., political party supporters active on campus but not bona fide students) are a potential source of violence that must be curbed. He conceded, however, that this move could create problems as politicians learn about politics and establish trusted relationships as students. "Without student politics, future politicians will wonder how they will become politicians." JAMAAT DHAKA 00001176 002 OF 002 -------------- ¶8. (C) Asked if Jamaat Islami Bangladesh (JI) stands to gain from the current political turmoil within the two major parties, Amin said that JI would not significantly benefit from the current situation. He stated that JI cannot win an election on its own, noting that JI needs to align itself with another party to be successful in politics. According to Amin,the link with domestic terrorist group Jamaat-ul Muhjahedin Bangladesh (JMB) tainted and weakened JI (ref D). Amin said JI has been mostly untouched by the anti-corruption campaign as it has not had a lot of corruption within its ranks. He opined that over the long run, Jamaat would become more moderate as many of the younger members are more progressive. Moreover, if JI instituted democratic reforms, younger progressive members would oust aging and conservative JI leader Amir Nizami. TERRRORISM ROUNDUP -------------- ¶9. (S) Amin was very upbeat about Bangladesh's success in defusing the issue of domestic terrorist group Jamaat-ul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB). "We are currently conducting surrender negotiations which could include an amnesty and social rehabilitation program." As for Zadid A-Qaeda (ZAD), which claimed responsibility for the explosion of three small bombs in May 2007, Amin downplayed any future threat from the group claiming that they "were really a social problem," claiming the attacks may have had a personal motive. Amin dismissed threats from Harkat-ul Jamaat Islami (HUJI-B),"We have infiltrated HUJI-B and we don't see them attacking western interests. As for the members of Lashka E-Toiba (LET),"we have remnants of them surrendering." REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE -------------- ¶10. (C) Amin asked for U.S. assistance in their anti-corruption efforts. He said that the GOB would be willing for sponsor workshops and seminars and offered to share costs as an inducement. He said that Army Chief of Staff General Moeen is particularly eager for U.S. training to address corruption. (Note: we have offered the GOB anti-corruption training assistance (ref E). Amin also asked for U.S. assistance to train the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) even if the training were limited to a review of U.S. standards of human rights. He lamented the slowness of the civilian administration (particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to reply to existing USG offers. ¶11. (C) Comment: This past week, the GOB fulfilled its committment to announce a "roadmap" towards elections. With that announcement and with the Hasina arrest behind them, the GOB has achieved another milestone. Amin's demeanor - coupled with recent events - suggests that the military is making plans, carrying them out, and is so far satisified with the results. End Comment. PASI