Cablegate: Bangladesh: 2009 Country Report On Terrorism

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DE RUEHKA #1133 3540754
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 200754Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9803
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2204
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY 2965
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/CDRUSARPAC FT SHAFTER HI PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC PRIORITY
RHHMUNS/COMSOCPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHOVVKG/US COMSEVENTHFLT PRIORITY
RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS DHAKA 001133

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/INSB, S/CT (RHONDA SHORE AND BRYAN KOONTZ)
CIA FOR NCTC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PINS PGOV PREL ASEC BG
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH: 2009 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM

REF: STATE 109980 - INSTRUCTIONS

1. (U) In compliance with reftel, Mission Dhaka submits its
2009 Country Report on terrorism.

Text of report follows:

Immediately after taking office in January 2009, the Awami
League-led government began a crackdown on domestic and
transnational terrorist groups. As a result, Bangladesh and
India improved their counterterrorism cooperation during the
year, which resulted in the arrest of several senior members
of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), an anti-India
insurgency group. In November, Bangladesh arrested several
extremists alleged to have ties to Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT),
the organization believed responsible for the November 2008
Mumbai attack, Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh
(HUJI-B), and other extremist groups. Informed observers
noted that some of those arrested were linked to terrorist
activities inside India. The arrests were of the
government's efforts to deny transnational terrorists safe
havens in Bangladesh.

Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB), the banned domestic
Islamic extremist group responsible for a wave of bombings
and suicide attacks in late 2005, remained a threat. During
the first three months of 2009, authorities arrested several
suspected JMB members and uncovered weapons caches that
included grenades and chemicals that could be used to make
explosives.

In February, the Awami League-led government adopted into law
the Money Laundering Prevention Act (MLPA), 2009 and the
Antiterrorism Act (ATA). These laws formalized the ordinances
passed in 2008 under the caretaker government. Although not
fully compliant with international standards, the MLPA
addressed many flaws in the preceding 2002 money laundering
law and the ATA introduced antiterrorist financing into the
Bangladeshi legal system for the first time. The laws
facilitate international cooperation and established a
financial intelligence unit (FIU) at the Bangladesh Bank.
The new laws are part of the effort to enable Bangladesh to
enter the Egmont Group, the international body of FIUs that
plays a critical role in fighting terrorist financing.

U.S. and Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies cooperated well
on several cases related to domestic and international
terrorism. Bangladesh cooperated with the United States to
further strengthen control of its borders and land, sea, and
air ports of entry. The United States continued human rights
training for the Rapid Action Battalion, the country's
premier counterterrorism law enforcement force. Additional
assessments and trainings were provided under the
Anti-Terrorism Assistance program and from the Department of
Justice's Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development,
Assistance and Training.

End text of report

2. POC for the Country Report on Terrorism is Enrique R.
Gallego, email: gallegoer@state.gov.

Dean

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