VZCZCXRO3021
OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW
DE RUEHKA #1025/01 3130845
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 090845Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9638
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2181
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY 2932
RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001025 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA-SCA, DS/TIA, DS/TIA/ITA, DS/TIA/CC, 
DS/TIA/PII, SCA/INSB, SCA/FO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2019 
TAGS: ASEC PTER PROV PREL PINR PINS PHUM BG
SUBJECT: MEDIA OVERSTATES TERRORIST THREAT TO EMBASSY DHAKA 
FOLLOWING CHITTAGONG ARRESTS 
 
REF: A. DHAKA 980 
     ¶B. DHAKA 981 
     ¶C. IIR 4 201 0273 10 DTG 140023Z 
     ¶D. IIR 4 201 0253 10 DTG 102212Z 
     ¶E. IIR 4 201 0321 10 DTG 171846Z 
     ¶F. IIR 4 201 0321 10 DTG 151941Z 
     ¶G. DHAKA 984 
 
Classified By: ACTING DCM JON F. DANILOWICZ, FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) and (d 
) 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (S) Local press and wire services gave widespread coverage 
to the November 6 arrest of three alleged members of the 
international terrorist group Lashkar-e-Teiyeba who were 
reportedly planning to attack Embassy Dhaka.  More 
sensationalist reports suggested the suspects had planned to 
hijack a Hajj flight or attack diplomatic missions in India. 
Our subsequent discussions with police and liaison agencies 
did not substantiate the reported threats, although initial 
traces indicate those arrested have some linkages to 
extremist groups.  The incident has provided insights into 
the functioning of both the Prime Minister's Office and 
Bangladesh's security apparatus, confirming our perception 
that government agencies do not effectively coordinate on 
security matters. 
 
 
POLICE MAKE ARRESTS 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (S/NF) Monirul Islam, Deputy Commissioner of Police and 
part of Dhaka's Detective Branch - South Division, told the 
Assistant Regional Security Officer November 8 that police 
had arrested three individuals in Chittagong as part of an 
ongoing investigation.  Upon receipt of threat information 
passed by the Embassy at that time (Ref A-G), the Bangladesh 
authorities initiated an investigation.  The police, based on 
a tip from an informant and subsequent phone-link analysis, 
focused attention on three individuals in Chittagong.  Islam 
said the three were being held "under general suspicion." 
While police will request permission to hold the suspects 
longer, Islam said he believed they will be released for lack 
of hard evidence.  The police did not provide any information 
to substantiate press reports of a plot to attack the 
embassy.  We will follow up with the police as they continue 
to interview the suspects and exploit other information 
obtained in the raid. 
 
 
LACK OF COMMUNICATION 
--------------------- 
 
¶3. (S) We welcomed the news that the Government of Bangladesh 
had opened an investigation following the initial threat 
reporting we shared with them.  At the same time, this 
episode has further revealed the lack of communication 
between Bangladesh's security agencies.  Agency after agency 
looked back at us with blank stares when we asked them about 
the press reporting.  They were not withholding information, 
rather, they did not know.  The Prime Minister's security 
advisor told us he thought the police had acted "on a hunch." 
 Even though the case had been on the front-pages of 
Bangladesh's newspapers for two days, when the Ambassador 
asked Major General Mollah Fazle Akbar, the Director-General 
of Forces Intelligence, about the case on November 8, Akbar 
knew nothing and displayed obvious embarrassment. 
 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶4. (S) This incident also illustrates the nervousness the 
senior levels of the Government of Bangladesh feels about a 
potential significant terrorist attack.  They are ready to 
sweep-up and arrest people on sparse evidence.  A number of 
groups, including Lashkar-e-Teiyeba, who previously had space 
to operate within Bangladesh may now be feeling squeezed and 
 
DHAKA 00001025  002 OF 002 
 
 
could lash out.  We do not see a specific threat associated 
with these arrests, but we need to keep a watchful eye.  This 
also points to the continued need to help build host country 
counter-terrorist capability. 
MORIARTY