JMB THREAT LETTER WARNS INTERNATIONAL

S E C R E T DHAKA 000406 TERREP DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA-SCA, DS/TIA/ITA, DS/TIA/CC, S/CT, SCA/INSB E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2029 TAGS: ASEC PTER BG SUBJECT: JMB THREAT LETTER WARNS INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO CLOSE UP SHOP IN SOUTHERN BANGLADESH AND DEMANDS FOREIGN EMPLOYEES DEPART BANGLADESH REF: A. 2008 DHAKA 1010 ¶B. DHAKA 000189 Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION, GEETA PASI, FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) (c) (d) ¶1. (S) Summary: Three international organizations operating in Barisal (southern Bangladesh) have received a copy of the same threat letter reportedly from the banned islamist group, Jamatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). The letter, which received widespread media attention, demanded the organizations' employees leave Barisal at once or suffer the consequences. This threat comes amid a government crackdown on suspected JMB elements operating throughout the country. After consulting with the UN and local police sources, we have no additional information to lend credibility to this threat. End Summary UN Organizations Receive Threat Letter -------------- ¶2. (SBU) News media reported on April 21 that the post office delivered three identical type-written letters in English to the offices of UNICEF, the World Food Program, and the International Federation of the Red Crescent (IFRC) in Barisal (the recent location of Post's highly successful America Week) on April 20 (ref B). The author of the unsigned letter threatened dire consequences if these organizations did not comply with the instructions, including having all foreigners depart Bangladesh immediately. ¶3. (S) RSO contacted UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) Representative Julien Buckmire to follow up. Mr. Buckmire is responsible for all UN personnel (Americans included) posted throughout the country. Mr. Buckmire reported that a letter carrier from the Barisal Post Office delivered the letters to the collocated offices of UNICEF, the World Food Program, and the IFRC at the same time at 1115 hours on April 20. By 1130 hours the letters made it to the intended recipients who contacted their security officers, who then contacted Mr. Buckmire. Mr. Buckmire obtained fax copies of the letters at 1145 hours and forwarded them to his contacts at the Director General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI). DGFI confided to Mr. Buckmire that they had not witnessed any intelligence buildup prior to the delivery of the letters that would have indicated the three organizations had been the target of pre-operational surveillance or planning. ¶4. (S) The three organizations met collectively with representatives from law enforcement units located in Barisal to discuss the threat letter and to request immediate police assistance to elevate their security posture. Police swept the office complex where the three offices are located for suspicious material and later posted four armed officers to conduct 24 hour protective operations for a week. Police also agreed to conduct 24 hour roves of each international staff member's residence for an unspecified period of time. Additionally, the three organizations transmitted a letter to the Barisal authorities requesting additional security support for their field missions in the outer locations of the district known as ranges. ¶5. (S) In addition, the three organizations convened an emergency security meeting to establish an action list and security recommendations for their personnel. They sent a photocopy of the suspected JMB letter to the Mayor, Barisal Division Police Commissioner, Director Police Intelligence (Barisal Range),Barisal Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner of Barisal Special Branch, Commanding Officer Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) District 8, Deputy Director of National Security Intelligence (NSI),and the Deputy Director of DGFI. Collectively, the international organization security working group concluded that the threat letter should be taken seriously though they did not have any further information regarding its credibility. ¶6. (S) RSO received a scanned email copy of the threat letter from Mr. Buckmire. The letter did not contain any names, identifying markings, or signatures which could be traced. The envelopes were only stamped for routing by the Barisal Post Office, so the true origin of the letter could not be determined. The text of the letter is as follows: "Sir, This is our request and order all international and Bangladeshi staff will go back home after received this letter otherwise your body will go home but no life. Now what you do you know well. We know everything because Our people always flow you. This is J.M..B system for save life. J M B Barisal Division" ¶7. (S/NF) RSO met with GRPO to discuss the credibility of the threat and exchange information. GRPO noted the letter came at a time of increased RAB activity to track down and arrest JMB suspects nationwide. Of special note was the recent arrest of the head of a London based NGO, Green Crescent, after law enforcement officers discovered a large arms cache - allegedly intended for JMB fighters - at a madrassah sponsored by the Green Crescent in Bhola District. Bhola neighbors Barisal to the east. Since the Bhola operation, several RAB operations against JMB have taken place. The same day, April 20, RAB arrested six alleged JMB suspects including women and children in Jamalpur District, north of Dhaka. April 19, RAB arrested someone they believed was a "top leader" of JMB in the Rangpur and Dinajpur area, in the far northwest of Bangladesh near the Indian Border. Comment -------------- ¶8. (S) In September 2008, Post reported in ref A on a spate of JMB threat letters circulating throughout diplomatic missions and government offices. All of the letters were in Bangla and sent with a name and a signature of the author. In some cases, fax numbers were listed on fax copies of letters. In contrast, the transmission method, language used, and lack of the name of the author on the April 20 threat letters are all different from the September 2008 letters. RSO will continue to investigate the credibility of this new threat letter and will update Post and the department as necessary. At this point, we do not have information to lend credibility to this threat letter. The Ambassador and other Mission personnel plan a day trip to Barisal on Saturday April 25. They will be attending an AID project launch with the Minister of Agriculture. We believe the travel can be achieved safely and have made all appropriate arrangements with host country security forces. ¶9. (U) 5. (U) Point of contact is Regional Security Office, 880-2-885-5500, ext 2228, unclassified, 880-2-882-5947, ste. MORIARTY