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 02 DHAKA 000867 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2016 
TAGS: KISL PTER PGOV BG BG JI
SUBJECT: CONTRASTING LOCAL VIEWS ON DR. GHALIB 
 
REF: DHAKA 866 
 
Classified By: A/DCM D.C. McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (b) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Ahle Hadith Andolan Amir Assadullah Ghalib 
remains in prison while Ahle Hadith supporters claim his 
innocence, state their movement is non-political, is not a 
terrorist organization, and has no ties with JMB. Ghalib's 
proponents say his arrest was politically motivated, possibly 
by a jealous JI who want to control the millions of Ahle 
Hadith supporters and votes, or simply because the BDG needed 
a scapegoat for terrorist attacks.  End Summary. 
 
DR GHALIB ARRESTED 
=================== 
 
¶2. (SBU) On February 23, 2005, the BDG, in the wake of 
terrorist bombings of several NGOs, announced a ban on both 
the Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB) and its sister group, 
the Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB).  The BDG 
arrested Dr. Muhammed Asadullah Al Ghalib for his alleged 
complicity in these attacks and charged him with ten crimes 
including abduction, murder, bombings and robbery.  Since 
that time, four of the charges have been dropped but he 
remains in jail in Bogra, which is located 150 kilometers 
north-west of Dhaka. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Ghalib was the Chair of the Arabic Department at 
Rajshahi University, and the Amir of Ahle Hadith Andolan of 
Rajshahi, which is 200 kilometers west of Dhaka.  On February 
6, Poloff visited Ahle Hadith's complex and spoke to acting 
Amir Muhammed Muslehuddin, editor of Ahle Hadith's monthly 
newsletter Dr. Shakhawat Hussain, and other Ahle Hadith 
senior officers. 
 
WHAT IS AHLE HADITH? 
==================== 
 
¶4. (C) Muslehuddin responded that Ahle Hadith Andolan 
beleives that, "You should follow Allah and the prophet 
Muhammed, only."  They cited the last verse of the Prophet as 
saying "one will never be misguided in following only God's 
words and his actions."  He said that this means it is "not 
acceptable to have new innovations in religious matters." 
 
¶5. (C) Poloff asked whether politics is a integral part of 
Islam.  Muslehuddin and others responded that this was an 
idea introduced by Jamaat Islami (JI) but refuted by Ghalib 
in his book,"The Three Principles," where he criticized 
Islam's religious basis for political action.  "Ahle Hadith 
does not agree with that idea," Muslehuddin said.  Asked if 
they agreed that Jamaat Islami, as a political party, has 
promoted Shariah law for Bangladesh, they disagreed, saying 
that JI has not passed a single bill in Parliament on Shariah 
law.  Asked for an example, they agreed that the first law 
they or JI should enact would be to compel the Salah 
requiring all Muslims to pray. 
 
¶6. (C) When poloff asked how, given that they eschew 
politics, would they bring Shariah law to Bangladesh, they 
said, "through preaching."  If they were able, they would 
focus on eliminating "false hadiths", they said.  All Shariah 
law, they emphasized, would be voluntary through a campaign 
of "public relations" and that such renewal and reform are 
equated with Ghalib. 
 
¶7. (C) Asked about their funding, they said they no longer 
receive funds from abroad such as from the Revival of Islamic 
Heritage Society (RIHS).  They complained that given the 
close association that Kuwait has with the U.S. it is not 
possible for any Kuwaiti organization to be supporting 
terrorism now.  Nevertheless, funding stopped eight months 
ago "leaving 800 orphans without support," Muslehuddin said. 
 
IS DR. GHALIB A TERRORIST? 
========================== 
 
¶8. (C) Muslehuddin and others repeatedly said that the 
charges against Ghalib were not true, and stressed that 
Ghalib has written against terrorism.  In response to 
poloff's question why Ghalib was arrested by the BDG, they 
responded that "the status of Ghalib caused jealousy" from 
others, and because of the acts by Bangla Bhai and others, 
Ghalib was arrested as a "scapegoat." 
 
¶9. (C) Muslehuddin said that the BDG told him privately "that 
Ghalib is not guilty but they can't release him."  He blamed 
international pressure for Ghalib's arrest and asked for 
Embassy's asssistance with the Home Ministry to release 
Ghalib. 
 
¶10. (C) Asked about other possible motivations for the BDG to 
arrest and hold an innocent man, they claimed that while Ahle 
Hadith is not political, they represent some 13 million 
believers who vote. They accused JI and BNP of wanting Ahle 
Hadith leaderless in order to control those votes for 
themselves. 
 
WHAT ABOUT JMB? 
=============== 
 
¶11. (C) Asked about reported relationships between Ahle 
Hadith and JMB, Muslehuddin denied that Alhe Hadith had or 
has any relationship with Bangla Bhai and JMB, saying that 
"we stand against JMB."  The Amir and others complained that 
their second in command, Dr. Abus Samad Salifi, was also 
arrested for assisting in placing bomb materials.  They 
bitterly protested this arrest saying, that he was a 
70-year-old man and "he can not be imagined doing such 
things."  They also complained that they are learned men and 
should be treated with respect; they should not have to share 
cells with other inmates. 
 
¶12. (C) Muslehuddin said that people are against JMB, whom he 
described as mostly "excited teenagers." Yes, it is true that 
Bangle Bhai is a former Ahle Hadith, and there are others in 
JMB who are also former Ahle Hadiths, but "he and JMB are 
misguided," he said. 
 
OTHER VIEWS ON DR. GHALIB 
========================= 
 
¶13. (C) Abdul Haq, Ghalib's replacement as Chair in the 
Arabic Department, told poloff that after working with Ghalib 
for 25 years, he believes that Ghalib was "innocent." He said 
that when Ghalib was arrested by police on February 23, 2005, 
he and several other faculty members went to the police 
station and argued for Ghalib's release. 
 
¶14. (C) Deputy Inspector General of Police Bahurul Alam told 
poloff, "I don't believe that Ghalib is guilty of actual 
involvement" in any bombings, but he might have contributed 
"theoretical" support.  Awami League Sreepur Union Chairman 
Moqbal Hossain (the mayor of the lowest level of elected 
government) told poloff that given the deteriorating law and 
order situation, when JMB first took action against the 
leftist criminals, many people, even the police supported 
JMB.  It was only natural that "Ghalib and his followers 
cooperated with them," he said.  He added that the people 
responsible for the emergence and support of JMB are four 
Rajshahi-based BNP politicians and not Ghalib. 
CHAMMAS