US embassy cable - 05DHAKA914

S E C R E T DHAKA 000914 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2015 
TAGS: PTER, KCRM, PGOV, BG 
SUBJECT: ARRESTED DR. GALIB: TERRORIST OR DUPE? 
 
REF: DHAKA 0815 
 
Classified By: P/E  Counselor D.C, McCullough, Reason(s): 1.4 (d) 
 
1. (SBU) Following the February 23 arrest of professor 
Muhammad Asadullah al-Galib and 16 other alleged militants, 
and the banning of two related organizations, JMJB (Jagrata 
Muslim Janata Bangladesh) and JMB (Jamaat ul-Mujahidin 
Bangladesh), newspapers continue to describe professor Galib 
as an extreme advocate of armed struggle.  According to news 
reports, police plan to charge Galib, as the chief of Ahle 
Hadith Andolon Bangladesh (AHAB), for a number of explosions 
and bombings in recent weeks (reftel). Newspapers report that 
police raided Galib's house finding evidence of Galib's 
extremist connections, which includes large foreign sources 
of funding used to support some 600 madrassahs, mosques and 
health centers.  At the same time, Galib, under interrogation 
by the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC), denies directing any 
armed activities, according to reports. 
 
2. (S) Corroborating sources are unable to say whether Galib, 
who gives contridictory statements about his activities, is 
largely responsible for recent violence that includes 
bombings at a jatra (folk) festival and explosions at Grameen 
Bank and the NGO, BRAC.  These sources are unable to confirm 
if any explosive materials or ammunition have been found, the 
degree of foreign funding, nor the source of the foreign 
funds. 
THOMAS