U.S. envoy says there is terrorist threat in Bangladesh

 2009-05-03 21:19:33  

    DHAKA, May 3 (Xinhua) --

The United States believes there is a "terrorist" threat in Bangladesh as Washington gets disturbing indications, U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh James Moriarty said here on Sunday.

    "We do have disturbing indications. There continues to be a threat in Bangladesh and my government does believe that there is a threat," he said at a press conference held here at office of Dhaka Reporters Unity, an association of working reporters.

    The ambassador said the recent seizure of weapons in Bangladesh' s southern district of Bhola and continued arrests of members of a banned group, Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), in the country demonstrate that "terrorism" remains a concern.

    Moriarty said attacks in India, Pakistan and other countries around the globe suggest that the world has a long way to go before getting rid of the scourge of "terrorism."

    The ambassador appreciated the Bangladeshi Parliament's passage of the Money Laundering Prevention Ordinance and the Anti-Terrorism Ordinance which will give law enforcement agencies new tools to ensure that terrorists cannot use Bangladesh as a haven.

    Moriarty said the U.S. continues to work closely with Bangladesh in training programs for law enforcement organizations.

Editor: Wang Guanqun

India warns Bangladesh, of a possible assassination plot, mainly to PM Sheikha Hasina

Sun, 2009-04-19 02:53

M.A. Kader-Asian Tribune Correspondent in Bangladesh

Dhaka, 19 April (Asiantribune.com):

India has warned Bangladesh's political leadership, including Prime Minister Sheikha Hasina, of a possible assassination plot, an Indian English daily reported Saturday.

The Indian Express said foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon had informed Dhaka of the threat during a recent visit. Menon arrived in the capital on an "unscheduled visit" on April 12.

The Express on Saturday, meanwhile, quoting unnamed sources said Menon during the visit exchanged notes with his Bangladesh counterpart on the activities of radical groups that were suspected to have played a role in the recent BDR massacre.

The paper, quoting the sources, said: "New Delhi picked up intelligence on this in the form of 'electronic chatter' by terrorist groups active in the neighborhood in recent weeks". "[T]here was specific intelligence on a plot to target the new Sheikha Hasina government in those conversations intercepted by Indian intelligence agencies. That prompted India to go ahead and warn the Bangladesh top brass of the threat," it said. Dhaka and New Delhi have an agreement to swap anti-terror intelligence, said the Express.

It also commented that radical and "terror" groups in Bangladesh were under pressure since the Awami League government came to power in January, pledging to crack down on "terror" elements.

"New Delhi fears the BDR plot was one of the ways to destabilise the newly elected government ... This is what is believed to have triggered these radical groups to plan an assassination," the newspaper said.

Asked what measures were taken following the report Bangladesh Home Minister Sahara Khatun told reporters on Saturday in Dhaka,” We have alerted our law enforcing agencies to face any conspiracy. “The law enforcing agencies are always ready to tackle any security issue.

Intelligence agencies have also been asked to intensity their watch on the security ground, she said.

Earlier, an Indian television network last December reported that there was planning to assassinate Awami League president Sheikha Hasina, before she came to power in January.