HOME SECRETARY ON JMB EXECUTIONS, KIBRIA AND OTHER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000588 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2016 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV EAID CASC PHUM BG SUBJECT: HOME SECRETARY ON JMB EXECUTIONS, KIBRIA AND OTHER ISSUES REF: A. DHAKA 0546 ¶B. DHAKA 0529 ¶C. DHAKA 0467 ¶D. DHAKA 0390 ¶E. HQ ICE DRO 291717Z MAR 07 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Geeta Pasi; Reason 1.4(d) ¶1. (C) Summary. On April 5, Deputy Chief of Mission and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Secretary Abdul Karim met to discuss issues, including the recent Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB) executions, GOB changes to its visa regime, trafficking in persons, the restarting of the Kibria investigation, and the sedition trial of Shoaib Choudhury. Also present were MHA Joint Secretary Mojibur Rahman and poloff (notetaker). End summary. JMB TERRORISTS EXECUTED -------------- ¶2. (C) The Home Secretary explained the secrecy around the executions of JMB. Karim said he gave the order to execute the sentenced JMB militants on March 7 and that the March 29 executions met the minimum 21 days notice required following the denial of the appeal (ref A). Karim noted that he led the public and even the police to believe that the date of execution would be 21 to 28 days after March 12, the date he publicly said the militants were informed. To further confuse people, he relocated the death row inmates to other prisons several times. ¶3. (C) "The executions took place at 11:45 PM on March 29," Karim said, "and by 5:30 AM the next morning all of the bodies had been delivered to their families for burial after morning prayers." He added that the family of Siddiqul Islam, alias Bangla Bhai (the most notorious of the terrorists),did not permit his body to be buried until after afternoon prayers (at midday) attracting a large crowd of onlookers in Bangla Bhai's village. On the day of the execution, Karim said Bangla Bhai's last remarks made reference to the fact that it was "too early" for him to die as "he had more to do to support Islam." Karim downplayed the likelihood of JMB reprisals. "If there was popular support for JMB, we would have seen demonstrations following their executions." KIBRIA INVESTIGATION TO BE RESTARTED -------------- ¶4. (C) Media reported the GOB planned to restart the investigation of the murder of Awami League leader Shah A.M.S Kibria. Karim confirmed the restarted investigation and said he instructed the lead GOB agency, the police, to contact the Embassy if the MHA required any assistance adding that "we want it to be done in a professional way." Karim also said that the GOB might contact the Embassy on other cases such as the August 2004 Awami League bombing. VISAS AND TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS -------------- ¶5. (C) Karim said the GOB has eased registration requirements for Americans, explaining that those staying for 90 days or more need to register at the airport, but those who stay less than that do not have to register at all. He added that those working for NGOs are also not required to register, noting they need appropriate visas before their arrival. "This is the most liberal visa policy possible," he said (ref B). ¶6. (C) We noted that the USG is very interested in child trafficking, and requested enhanced efforts to prosecute traffickers of child laborers and migrant workers. Karim provided the draft GOB 2007 report on trafficking and promised to "track and prosecute traffickers of migrant workers." ARRESTS NUMBERS -------------- ¶7. (C) In March, the reputable human rights groups Odikhar released a report culled from news reporting that during the first 60 days of the State of Emergency security forces DHAKA 00000588 002 OF 002 arrested 95,000 people (ref C). The DCM asked Karim about Odikhar numbers. He did not challenge Odikhar's report but attributed any increase to police executing outstanding arrest warrants. DEPORTATION OF MOHIUDDIN AHMED -------------- ¶8. (C) In early April, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced plans to deport Mohiuddin Ahmed, who was sentenced to death in abstentia for the 1975 killing of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, to Bangladesh. The deportation was postponed after a U.S. court granted a stay of removal (ref E). Aware of the temporary stay he said, "We are ready to arrest him as soon as he arrives." SHOAIB CHOUDHURY SEDITION TRIAL -------------- ¶9. (C) Commenting upon the Shoaib Choudhury sedition trial (ref B),the DCM noted US interest, including Congressional interest, in this issue and gave the Home Secretary a copy of sense of the House Resolution 64 supporting Shoaib Choudhury. BUTENIS