US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE680

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000680 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR DS/CR/VF 
DEPT FOR DS/CR/CIL 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF 
DEPT FOR CA/VO/FP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, CVIS, KFRD, MI, Corruption, Defense/Security, Terrorism 
SUBJECT: INCREASE IN DEPORTEES BEING SENT BACK TO BANGLADESH 
RAISES SECURITY CONCERNS FOR GOM 
 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: A British diplomat seconded to the 
Malawi Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) contacted RSO about a 
group of Bangladeshi males who had recently been deported. 
He stated that Malawi Immigration authorities let most of 
the men pass through Immigration even though they had been 
ordered to detain them.  RSO made contact with both the 
ACB and Immigration and discovered that there has been an 
increase in the instances of Bangladeshis traveling to 
Malawi under false pretenses.  The overriding concern is 
one of alien smuggling and not terrorism, but there is 
great concern that these aliens can obtain fake or 
fraudulently obtained Malawian passports with ease. 
 
2. (SBU) On July 6, 2004 nine Bangladeshi males were 
detained after flying to Lilongwe via an Air Emirates 
flight from Dubai (BG 011), which had been originally 
scheduled to arrive on July 5 but had been delayed due to 
mechanical reasons.  They had originally flown to Dubai 
from Dhaka.  The men all arrived with little, if any 
luggage and with 500 to 800 USD in new one hundred dollar 
bills.  Few could speak English and they said that they 
were in transit to Mozambique.  They did not have Malawian 
visas because they can be applied for at the port of entry 
(POE).  They could not say who paid for their tickets. 
They had used a National Travel Bureau in Dhaka, with 
phone number 12.3.8230.3 to get them. 
 
3. (SBU) The ACB heard that these men were arriving and 
contacted the Immigration Department to have the men 
detained.  Despite orders to hold the men, only four were 
stopped.  The other five were found waiting in a taxi when 
the ACB arrived at the airport.  All nine were taken into 
custody and subsequently deported. 
 
4. (SBU) Malawi Immigration advised that they have such a 
large problem with illegal immigrants from Bangladeshis 
that they have instituted stricter guidelines on letting 
them into the country.  Without proof of a legitimate 
business reason for traveling here all Bangladeshis are 
deported without delay.  Immigration believes these men 
come here so they can get in order to obtain fake Malawian 
passports, which.  This would illallow them to travel to 
the UK for up to six months without a visa.  He feels they 
may also try to get to the United States by first going to 
the UK.  Immigration stated that it is easy to get good 
quality fake passports locally. 
 
5. (SBU) The contact at the ACB advised that it would have 
been easy for the men to get through Immigration as they 
are susceptible to bribery.  ACB and ConOff advised that 
it is easy to get a legitimate Malawi passport for a 
price. 
 
6. (SBU) ConOff advised that it would be easy to spot the 
group since they would not be able to communicate in 
English, which is the predominant language, or Chichewa, 
another commonly spoken local languagethese males as 
engaging in fraud as Malawians speak English, while they 
would not.  Recently issued Malawian passports would also 
raise numerous questions that would need to be answered 
before any US visas were issued. 
 
7. (SBU) Once the Bangladeshis were detained at the 
airport a local immigration lawyer arrived.  He refused to 
provide details as to who contacted him.  The ACB advised 
that the taxi driver outside said that he was supposed to 
take the men to the Crystal Lodge, a hotel in Lilongwe 
that according to one FSN is frequented by both ex-pats 
and locals and is known for prostitution and drug use. 
They are currently investigating this hotel and the 
immigration attorney. 
 
8. (SBU) Copies of the passports were obtained from the 
ACB.  Biographic information on the deportees is as 
follows, with the Father's name capitalized: 
 
ABDULGAFUR, Ala Uddin 
DPOB: 25APR75, Noakhali 
Passport: P 0433771 
Issued: 19JUN00 
 
ABUL KHAYER, Abul Hossain 
DPOB: 15JAN76, Feru 
Passport: V 0913148 
Issued: 10FEB04 
 
AMANAT ULIAH, Saiful Islam 
DPOB: 05JAN80, Noakhali 
Passport: W 0022769 
Issued: 29MAR04 
 
ZEBOL HOQUE, Mossarof 
DPOB: 20MAY72, Chi Hagoag 
Passport: W 0299840 
Issued: 23JUN04 
 
ABUL KHAYER, Nurul Abser 
DPOB: 15JAN79, Feri 
Passport: V 0914689 
Issued: 16FEB04 
 
MOHAMMED MOSTAFA, Shahid Ullah 
DPOB: 02MAR76, Feri 
Passport: Q 0676188 
Issued: 20SEP01 
 
SURJUT ALI, Abdul Kuddus 
DPOB: 02FEB76, Dhaka 
Passport: W 0055255 
Issued: 14MAR04 
 
JULFE ALI, Khorshad 
DPOB: 10MAY76, Camilla 
Passport: W 0223852 
Issued: 13MAY04 
 
HABIBULLAH, Ala Uddin 
DPOB: 05MAR69, Noakhali 
Passport: W 0273464 
Issued: 06JUN04 
 
9. (SBU) SUMMARY: Though these men do not appear to have a 
terrorism connection it should be noted that it is 
possible they could use Malawi as a transit country or 
springboard to other nations.  Once here, they could 
easily obtain travel documents (legitimate or false) and 
then travel on to the United Kingdom or other Commonwealth 
countries.  This could be a possible pre-cursor to 
attempting entry to the United States; an event that 
Immigration officials said was possible and even likely. 
 
RASPOLIC