US embassy cable - 05DHAKA909

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 000909 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2015 
TAGS: PTER, KCRM, PGOV, BG, Crime/Murders 
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH PONDERS FATE OF ULFA CHIEF 
 
 
Classified By: P/E  Counselor D.C, McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary: United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) 
Secretary General Anup Chetia's seven year prison sentence 
 
SIPDIS 
expired on February 25 but he remains in "safe custody," 
according to Alana Khan, Secretary General of Bangladesh 
Society for Enforcement of Human Rights (BSEHR).  Khan said 
that BSEHR petitioned the BDG to grant political asylum to 
Chetia or to deport him to a safe third country.  Since 2003, 
BDG has maintained it would keep Chetia in "safe custody" at 
the end of his prison term until a decision is made whether 
to grant asylum or send him a third country.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) Media reports state that Indian officials have 
formally requested his extradition to India but requests have 
been denied on the grounds that the two countries do not have 
an extradition treaty.  Chetia could face possible life 
imprisonment in India if found guilty of alleged crimes of 
killing, kidnapping and extortion according to reports. 
 
3. (U) After his arrest in 1997, Indian national Anup Chetia, 
aka Golap Baruah, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment 
for illegally entering Bangladesh, possessing forged 
Bangladeshi passports, and illegal possession of a satellite 
phone.  During his prison term, according to reports, he has 
urged BDG to deport him to a neutral country when his 
sentence expires. 
 
4. (C) Khan told poloff that with the filing of the writ 
petitions requesting political asylum and continued "safe 
custody", BSEHR does not expect Chetia to be released from 
prison until the BDG or another country decides to grant 
political asylum.  She admitted that neither Chetia nor BSEHR 
has filed for political asylum in any other country. 
 
5. (C) When asked the basis for Chetia's extradition, Indian 
political officer in Dhaka was unable to state any of 
Chetia's alleged crimes beyond saying that he has committed a 
number of crimes.  In response to whether India has formally 
requested extradition, Indian poloff said, "We have wanted 
him for some time." 
 
6.(C) Comment: Especially in today's chilled Indo-Bangladesh 
climate, it seems inconceivable that the BDG would return 
Chetia to India. End Comment. 
THOMAS