VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKA #1013 3070813
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 030813Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9615
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY 8620
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 8802
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 0290
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 0376
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA PRIORITY 1493
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH PRIORITY 0162
RUEHSV/AMEMBASSY SUVA PRIORITY 0026
RUEHVN/AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE PRIORITY 0060
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMUNS/COMSOCPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS DHAKA 001013 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INSB, SCA/RA, PM/PPA FOR JKNOCH AND SKWAK; 
USPACOM FOR J5; SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP; NSC FOR AGOEL AND DCAMP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER KTIA MARR MASS MOPS MCAP CB CE ID
FJ, MY, TH, RP, BG 
SUBJECT: MISSION DHAKA ENDORSEMENT FOR FY10 1206 
COUNTERTERRORISM SUPPORT PROPOSALS 
 
REF: MANILA 2271 
 
¶1. (SBU) Embassy Dhaka concurs with the regional Section 1206 
counterterrorism support proposals and prioritization 
summarized reftel.  The Dhaka-specific proposal described 
below was developed with host government officials in the 
context of regional coordination of counterterrorist efforts. 
 The proposal focuses on improving Bangladesh's Navy Special 
Warfare and Diving Salvage Command (BN SWADS) capabilities, 
including its maritime interdiction capabilities, and 
providing mission-essential equipment. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Dhaka FY10 1206 proposal, totaling $9.6 million, 
would improve Bangladesh Navy Special Warfare and Diving 
Salvage (BN SWADS) capabilities and provide rotary-wing 
assets with Maritime/CT and special operations forces (SOF) 
upgrade kits to make BN SWADS a competent, Inter-operable 
partner with US SOF.  The project would improve 
countermeasures against terrorism, transnational crime, and 
internal security threats and improves maritime/border 
control.  1st Squadron, Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) 
rotary-wing assets, co-located with BN SWADS, will provide BN 
SWADS air mobility.  The project includes planned upgrades 
for eight Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) Mi-17 "Hip H" 
helicopters.  Two of the aircraft require "maritime and CT" 
upgrade kits and six require "SOF" upgrade kits.  The BN 
SWADS will include SEAL and Special Boat units capable of 
conducting heliborne and surface, permissive and 
nonpermissive visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) 
missions. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Post is not aware of any credible evidence of gross 
violations of human rights by any units that would receive 
assistance under the above listed 1206 project proposals. 
Embassy Dhaka also acknowledges the requirement to undertake 
Leahy vetting for all units, if the projects are funded, per 
normal foreign assistance procedures.  Trainers from Defense 
Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) conducted 
human rights training for BN SWADS members on September 
14-15, 2009 to in accordance with congressional requirements 
to provide human rights training to units identified to 
receive 1206 assistance. 
 
¶4.  (U) Embassy Dhaka point of contacts: 
 
ODC: Major Mark Pralat 
Phone: 88-02-885-5500 x.2278 
Unclass e-mail: pralatml@state.gov 
Class e-mail: pralatml@state.sgov.gov 
 
Political Section: Enrique Gallego 
Phone: 88-02-885-5500 x.2306 
Unclass e-mail: gallegoer@state.gov 
Class e-mail: gallegoer@state.sgov.gov 
 
MORIARTY