RAB ARRESTS 2 MORE JMB MEMBERS, SEIZES EXPLOSIVES

S E C R E T DHAKA 000044 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2017 TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL KISL BG SUBJECT: RAB ARRESTS 2 MORE JMB MEMBERS, SEIZES EXPLOSIVES NEAR DIPLOMATIC ENCLAVE REF: DHAKA 0041 Classified By: Ambassador Patricia A. Butenis; reason 1.4(d) ¶1. (U) Television news carried reports today (January 10) of a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) raid at 0400 local time that two men were arrested and explosives seized near the diplomatic area. This follows other recent arrests of JMB members on December 29 and January 7. (reftel) ¶2. (S) The two men arrested, "Hasan" and "Shoeb," estimated ages 21 - 24 years old, rented an apartment on January 1, 2007 in the Nurer Chala area, approximately 0.5 km east of the Embassy and near many other diplomatic missions. They remain in RAB custody and are being interrogated. ¶3. (S) Items seized from the apartment include: approximately 25 one liter containers of ammonium nitrate, many packets of power gel explosives (one media report specifies 68 packets),one upper portion of a detonator, and 40 - 46 empty iron home-made grenade casings. Previous arrests and seizures reported reftel also included power gel explosives, detonators, and iron home-made grenade cases. (NOTE: Ammonium nitrate itself is a common fertilizer, but it is also a component of the explosive ANFO (ammonium nitrate - fuel oil). Diesel fuel is available for purchase by consumers in Bangladesh without restriction. END NOTE.) ¶4. (S) According to RAB sources, the arrestees said they were tasked to make a detonator for an explosive device to be assembled by another group working at a different location. Hasan and Shoeb have not provided any additional information that might help identify others. The arrestees said they intended "to use these explosives during the election." Parliamentary elections are scheduled for January 22, 2007. ¶5. (S) COMMENT: This is the third JMB arrest in the last two weeks. We know the second arrest was based on information from the first. It is not clear yet if the third arrest was based on information gathered in that ongoing inquiry or from a separate investigation. Post will continue to track this closely. END COMMENT BUTENIS