This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 006275 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2015 
TAGS: PTER KISL PGOV BD BG
SUBJECT: VISITING THE MEGA-MADRASSA OF AN ISLAMIST 
BELLWETHER 
 
Classified By: A/DCM D.C. McCullough, reasons para 1.4 d. 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Maulana Kamaluddin Jafri is the principal of 
a growing 2,000 student Saudi-backed madrassah complex.  He 
condemns JMB violence but speculates the U.S., India, the 
Awami League, and an international Jewish "conspiracy" might 
be the JMB's true patrons.  In a cordial meeting with poloff, 
he stated he supports Jamaat Islami politically and advocates 
an Islamic "middle way" of achieving power through democracy. 
 Jafri bears watching as a bellwether for radical Islam in 
Bangladesh.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Maulana Kamaluddin Jafri's Jamiya Kashemia madrassah 
is 50 kilometers north-east of Dhaka in the town of 
Narsingdi.  He comes from the southern coastal district of 
Bhola, 120 kilometers south of Dhaka, and moved to Narsingdi 
in the mid 1970s and founded his madrassah in 1978.  He is in 
mid 50s, and lives on the madrassah grounds with his family. 
He also appears regularly on local TV, and is well regarded 
as an Islamist orator.  At a December 4 BDG-sponsored 
conference of prominent Islamists, he condemned the attacks 
committed in the name of Islam by Jamaatul Mujahidin 
Bangladesh (JMB).  However, he also speculates that India, 
the U.S., the opposition Awami League (AL), and an 
international Jewish "conspiracy" might be JMB's actual 
patrons.  "Those who have trained these militants are 
half-educated" in Islam, he said at the conference.  "There 
might be Jewish involvement in these attacks." 
 
¶3. (SBU) On December 18, poloff met with Jafri at his 
madrassah  A beaming Jafri and about 40 staff welcomed poloff 
as he exited his vehicle, and hoped that this would be the 
first of many Embassy visits.  They then escorted him to an 
elevated reviewing stand complete with carpet and colored 
ropes with tassels, accompanied on one side by Maulana Jafri 
and on the other by a vice principal.  A uniformed student, 
described as a boy scout, invited in his command voice poloff 
to review the students. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Some 20 "boy scouts" on parade appeared to be in 
their late teens/early twenties.  They stood at attention. 
They wore a scout-type uniform of blue shirt, dark blue short 
pants, white gloves, and beret with a straight up feather. 
The next rank of students were 18-20 teenagers clothed in 
white punjabis and white prayer caps, described as the "Koran 
recitation squad."  Next came orphans boys in their early 
teens, and another class of equally young boys, all standing 
at attention as poloff passed by.  Appearing more curious 
than serious, many smiled as poloff said "good work" as he 
passed by.  With poloff and Jafri back at the stand, the 
senior boy scout commanded the 100 students in groups of five 
to parade in formation, which they did in an exaggerated wide 
swinging arm and leg style, saluting as they passed.  The boy 
scouts, still in white gloves, then gave a short 
demonstration of physical calisthenics 
 
¶5. (SBU) Jafri then escorted poloff to see a few of classes, 
apologizing that since final exams had been given, most of 
classes were not in session.  One that was, an English class, 
had about 40 students, who appeared to be in their late 
teens. In response to question from poloff, on the reason to 
learn English, many responded that English is the language of 
commerce and therefore important to know.  Many students were 
from Narsingdi, although several said they came from other 
parts of Bangladesh.  They were polite and asked poloff for 
tips on improving their English. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The next two classes visited were on interpretation 
of the Koran and the Hadith.  These students were also 
polite, curious and appeared friendly, with many seeming to 
understand English.  They invited poloff to test their 
knowledge of the Koran and Hadith.  Although devoid of 
students, Jafri showed poloff a chemistry lab that contained 
four workstations, two stainless steel sinks, one gas burner, 
and a mixed collection of beakers and flasks. The locked 
chemical cabinet held perhaps two dozen boxes and bottles of 
items such as zinc nitrate, lead nitrate and sulfuric acid. 
When asked about computers, Jafri said there are two 
computers but, as the power was out, it made no sense to see 
them.  In response to a question on what staff thought was 
the most important subjects, there was mixed opinions but 
most replied Koranic studies, English, chemistry and 
engineering. 
 
¶7. (SBU)  In a separate building, in a large room above the 
mosque, were three classes of girls in their mid-teens, all 
in black chadors.  The classes were Islamic history, proper 
interpretation of the Koran, and Hadith.  They understood 
English, responding to poloff's questions before the 
translation.  Many were from Narsingdi.  Jafri then showed 
poloff a new building nearing completion and already painted 
in pink that would be dedicated solely to girls.  When asked 
if women's education should be equal to that of men's, Jafri 
readily agreed it was. 
 
¶8. (SBU) A board member of the Jamiya Kashemia Trust, Abdul 
Haleem, who, alone among the large welcoming delegation, wore 
a tie, told poloff that as an aliah madrassah it gets 90 
percent of its budget from the BDG and another 20 percent the 
Trust -- the extra 10 percent apparently funds the current 
expansion program.  For example, there are plans to add a 
house for 100 girl orphans to complement the 100 boy 
orphanage.  Their monthly budget of 400,000 taka (about USD 
6100) supports 70 staff and the 40 acre complex of school 
buildings, mosque, offices, and the 100-boy orphanage.  Among 
the 2,000 students, 500 live at the madrassah and pay room 
and board.  There are 500 girls attending classes.  Haleem 
boasted that their madrassah won first place in academic 
achievement among government schools. 
 
¶9. (SBU) At a banquet table surrounded by staff, police, and 
reporters, poloff asked Jafri what he thought of the recent 
wave of bomb attacks throughout Bangladesh.  Jafri said that 
the United States is a powerful country, and must be careful 
in its actions which affect the entire world.  Problems like 
Palestine, he said, need to be resolved with the Palestinian 
people having their own state, which he said the U.S. should 
make happen.  He went on to make an oblique criticism about 
U.S. actions in Iraq, and then speculated that those behind 
the bomb attacks in Bangladesh were the people who are the 
most likely to benefit from the attacks.  When someone 
suggested India might be responsible, Jafri stated, "That 
comes to one's mind." 
 
¶10. (SBU) When asked if it was true that he had told a 
conference that Jews were behind the bombings, Jafri replied, 
"Yes, philosophically this is true" because "the Jews must 
have done it or are behind it."  He then asked poloff if it 
was true that Benjamin Franklin said to be wary of Jewish 
international influence.  Poloff assured him this was untrue, 
and asked if the attacks might stem from the influence of 
Wahabism.  Jafri demurred, saying, "There is no Wahabism, 
really" in Bangladesh.  Over time, he continued, a number of 
teachings and practices have crept into Islam that are in 
conflict with Islam.  "Shiaism, with its superstitions, is an 
example," and another is "shrines, which are not allowed." 
There is need for "purification from these practices," and 
this need was taught by Abd Wahab, he explained. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Later in his private room, when asked about the 
BDG's relationship with Jamaat Islami (JI) and whether JI's 
relationship with JMB was damaging the government, Jafri 
accused the Awami League of being behind the bombings.  While 
saying they want to institute Islamic law by killing judges 
who use man made law, Jafri said, in reality JMB wants the 
"failure of Jamaat."  The JMB is "shallow in their knowledge 
of Islam."   He described the JMB as veterans of the Afghan 
war who returned to Bangladesh with extreme ideas.  Maybe 
they have some links to terrorists because of the Afghan war, 
but they have no connection with the Bangladesh people, are 
"morally weak," and cannot succeed in their goals, Jafri 
said. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Jafri told poloff he is "not a member" of JI, but 
believes in its goals of coming into state power 
democratically.  When asked, consistent with democratic 
ideas, if women's testimony should be the equal of a man's, 
he answered that "women are not equal in everything. For 
example, women are physically weaker than men."  Thus, he 
said, their testimony is equal to 1/2 of a man's.  Asked if 
it was true that a number of representatives from Middle 
Eastern nations had come to his madrassah Jafri said that the 
Saudi ambassador has visited and is "in a sense a 
co-founder."  He insisted that his Saudi visitors share his 
vision of an Islamic "middle way" and are not advocates of 
violence. 
 
¶13. (C) Comment: Although he may not officially be a JI 
member, Jafri has all the prejudices against Shias and Jews 
that are common among JI leaders.  His line that JMB must be 
driven by non-Islamic forces who stand to benefit from the 
violence is also echoed, word for word, by BDG leaders like 
Home Minister of State Babar.  His full-court charm offensive 
on poloff, which included a request to send English teachers 
to his madrassah, is also typical of Islamists who welcome 
Embassy contacts as a chance to "correct" USG 
misunderstandings about them.  Jafri is apparently friendly 
with JI firebrand Hossain Delwar Sayadee.  Given his status 
as an orator, a principal of major madrassah and at least an 
honorary affiliate of JI's hard wing, he is probably worth 
watching as a bellwether of "real" Islamist attitudes in 
Bangladesh.  Finally, his madrassah seems to be a good 
example that aliah madrassahs, with their broader curriculum 
and BDG financial support, are no guarantee against promoting 
the sort of extremist prejudices that are more commonly 
associated with qaumi madrassahs. 
CHAMMAS