Chittagong 10-truck arms haul case: A primer

Incident: Police seized 10 truckloads of weapons and ammunition from a jetty of the Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL) on the night of Apr 1, 2004, sparking speculation that the cache was destined for the Indian insurgent group, United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa). This has been the largest arms haul in Bangladesh's history bulky enough to equip an army brigade. Estimated at US $4.5-5.7 million, the seizure in the ten trucks included: rocket launchers (150), rockets (840), over a million rounds of ammunition, grenade launchers (2000), grenades (25,000), and over 1700 assorted assault weapons.
Source: Linky

Brief summary of current status of the case:
Current state counsel/Public prosecutor -- Kamal Uddin Ahmed
Current investigating officer (IO) -- Mohammad Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, also assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Chittagong circle

The following have been charge-sheeted as of today:
1) Former industries minister and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief -- Matiur Rahman Nizami
2) Former state minister for home -- Lutfozzaman Babar
3) Former director general of NSI -- Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim
4) Former director of DGFI who was later appointed as director general of NSI -- Maj Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury
5) Former director of NSI -- Wing Cdr Shahabuddin Ahmed
6) Former deputy director (technical) of NSI -- Maj (retd) Liakat Hossain
7) Former field officer of NSI -- Akbar Hossain Khan
8) Former acting industries secretary -- Nurul Amin (absconding)
9) Former managing director of CUFL -- Mohsin Uddin Talukdar
10) Former general manager (admin) of CUFL -- Enamul Haque
11) ULFA leader -- Poresh Borua (absconding)

FAQs:
1) Who was the shipment intended for?: In its investigative story, the defence journal Jane’s Intelligence Review (JIR) had squarely held ULFA leader Paresh Barua and the NSCN-IM chief procurement officer Anthony Shimray (now arrested by NIA) responsible for this arms trafficking incident.

2) NSCN-IM and ULFA bonhomie?!: NSCN-IM had been talking with the Government of India from 1997-98 on ending the stalement of Naga "sovreignty." Peace talks with the GoI chief representative Padmanabaiah in Bangkok and Amsterdam had made virtually no progress at all, largely due to the NSCN-IM's insistence on the recognition by New Delhi of 'Nagalim' or a Greater Nagaland. Even a meeting with PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not sufficient to give further impetus to the talks. NSCN-IM had been fearing a return to war-like ways and thus wanted to bolster its capacity to sustain an armed onslaught.

Traditionally, ties between ULFA and the NSCN-IM have been strained, and ULFA has cultivated far better links with NSCN-IM's rival NSCN-K based in the remote border areas of Myanmar's Sagaing Division. However, following the severe setbacks suffered by ULFA as a result of Operation All Clear in Bhutan in December 2003, a new entente has developed. One intelligence official noted: "The NSCN and ULFA were working this jointly. The NSCN has better contracts in the arms trade while ULFA has the money and the foreign political connections."

3) It could nt have happened without any top involvement, no?!: The Bangladeshi media has drawn attention to the complicity of the BNP coalition government’s involvement in this incident. There were allegations of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, BNP leader as well as Jamaat-e-Islami leader, being largely responsible for overseeing the transfer at the CUFL jetty from two fishing trawlers (“MV Orient Freedom” and “QC Honour”) both vessels owned by his Queen Shipping Lanes. The arms shipments from Teknaf on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border was brought to Chittagong port.

The Sunday Guardian claims that based on Hafizur Rahman's confessional statement, in the BNP, the involvement goes all the way up to Tareque Rahman (Begum Khaleda Zia's eldest son). A part of the arms haul that managed to evade on Apr 1 was promptly seized on Apr 26, 2004 was taken to the Feni police station. It was, however, released following the
intervention of a retired army Major who also is a senior BNP leader. And under his instructions, the police escorted the bus with its cargo upto Chhagalnaiya from where the consignment was to be smuggled across the border into Tripura. Investigators identify the ‘leader’ as Syed Iskander, a brother of Begum Khaleda Zia.

The confessional statement of Hafizur also includes the names of Golam Faruq Obhi, a former Jatiya Party MP (who belonged to the Zia-led alliance) and Azmal Huda Mithu, a film director. Sahab Uddin in his confessional statement said that a foreign intelligence agency was involved in offloading the arms and ammunitions while an UAE-based firm was involved in supplying the arms. It is now clear that Abdul Razzak Yaqub, the Dubai-based ARY group owner financed the operation at the behest of ISI-D (Washington Post says the ARY group is associated with the ISI and al Qaeda and is involved in smuggling of gold and the greenback. ARY’s linkage with al Qaeda was confirmed in 1998 following the bombing of US mission in Nairobi.) whereas senior officials of the Pakistani High Commission (PHC) in Dhaka were able to mediate the logistics with DGFI and NSI. According to Wg Cdr (Retd) Sahabuddin's confession that was admitted (May 9-14, 2009), the involvement of Shahid Mahmood, a Counselor and Brig Gen Moghis Uddin, Defense Attaché was confirmed. According to him, four top functionaries: Brig Gen (Retd) Abdur Rahim, Brig Gen A. S Shaukat, Brig Gen Wasim, Sqn Ldr Didar and Maj Liaqat had held series of talks with the Mahmood and Uddin on planning and execution of arms delivery to ULFA and NSCN-IM.

The arms were procured from the Chinese state-run arms factory North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), according to a report published in a Bengali newspaper 'Prothom Alo' paraphrasing confidential files. Chinese arms shipment is not a new thing. B. Raman in his book "Kaoboys of Raw" mentions of contact between NE-based terrorist outfits and the Chinese establishment in the 60s and 70s.

4) Why Chittagong?: The original idea, according to JIR sources, was to transport the munitions to NE India via a route across northern Myanmar's Kachin State. However, this idea was eventually shelved owing to security concerns over moving so large a shipment across territory where local Kachins were seen as pro-Indian.

5) Hafizur Rahman's version of what happened:
Before the October 2001 Parliament election, film director Ajmal Huda Mithu invited him (Hafiz) to a private event at his residence in Dhaka, and introduced him to the former Jatiya Party MP, Golam Faruk Obhi, and another man named Zaman (Poresh Borua). Zaman kept contact with him over the phone since then.

Fifteen days later, Hafiz got a phone call from Zaman, and he met him and the MP in a fast food shop, Wimpy, in Dhaka. He agreed to help Zaman in receiving and transporting ‘imports’ the latter quite often used to get at the Chittagong port. After several months, Zaman called Hafiz over the phone again and met him on the third floor of Rapa Plaza in Dhaka some time in January 2002 and they talked business. Since then, Zaman was paying Hafiz taka 50,000 to 70,000 a month, the statement claimed. At one stage of the increasing intimacy, Zaman invited Hafiz to his residence in Dhanmondi of Dhaka. In his apartment, Zaman introduced Hafiz to his wife, two children, Babu and Aaksah, and an adopted son. He also gave Hafiz taka 80,000 at that time.

After paying some taka 18 lakh in this way, Zaman finally called Hafiz to Dhaka to reveal his real identity in February 2004. “As I met him in Rapa Plaza, Zaman this time around had with him a girl of about 10. He revealed himself as ULFA military wing chief, Paresh Barua, and the girl as the daughter of Anup Chetia,” said Hafiz in his confession. Anup Chetia, one of the top ULFA leaders, was arrested in Bangladesh in 1996 and is believed to be in prison since then. “Zaman or Paresh Barua also claimed that he looked after Anup’s family, while some people of intelligence agencies ensured their safety,” Hafiz said, the newspapers reported. “On March 23 or 24, Paresh called for me on an emergency basis. I immediately rushed to Dhaka and rented a room in Red Star Hotel opposite Rajarbagh Police Line, and met him at Wimpy again. Paresh asked me to help him to transport a delivery of some machinery from a ship anchored in the sea near the Myanmar border near Saint Martin's Island. He said the goods could not be brought to Chittagong port due to some technical problems. Asked about the required permission from the Bangladesh Navy, the Coast Guard, the customs authority, and the CUFL jetty authority, he said the NSI and DGFI chiefs had made all arrangements, and the jetty permission had also already been there, so nobody would ask me any question,” said Hafiz.

“I returned to the hotel and went to the same restaurant again early next morning. After some fifteen minutes, Paresh came with another person in a white car which had ‘on test’ written on the registration plate. The man with Paresh was introduced to me as Ashik. He gave me 50 lakh taka in four packets. Then Ashik and I went to Chittagong in the same car. Leaving Ashik in Golden Inn hotel in Chittagong I went to meet Hazi Sobhan, and rented two engine boats for around 13 lakh taka. Sobhan was to keep the engine boats ready near the Marine Academy pier. Around 10.30 that night a vessel came to our view. We approached the vessel and following directions given by Paresh, Ashik started talking to the captain in English. Following exchange of some codes which sounded like passwords, Ashik was allowed to anchor the boats next to the other vessel.” Three others, including Ashik and Jewel, took delivery of the arms cache from a ship near Saint Martin’s Island, loaded two engine boats with the weapons and guided them up to the jetty of the government-owned Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL) across the Karnaphuli river.

6) Why CUFL jetty in Chittagong?: Paresh Baruah put pressure on Tarique Rahman to change the venue of the unloading of arms from the Chittagong harbour jetty to the CUFL jetty as he did not trust the port workers' chief bargaining agent, ABM Mohiuddin Choudhury, who was an Awami League leader and city mayor. CUFL was safe as it was under the industries ministry headed by BNP coalition partner Matiur Rahman Nizami.

7) How did the capture happen?: Former police sergeants Mohammad Alauddin and Helal Uddin were in-charge of coal depot under Karnaphuli Police Station at the time of arms seizure. They were the first ones to see the unloading of the arms and they also first informed the high police officials of the incident. Prothom Alo reported the interrogation of the Police Officials who actually caught the truck load of arms. They were subsequently thrown off their jobs and were threatened to be killed in “Crossfire”. The alleged people who issued the threats was Chief of RAB (Rapid Action Batalion) – 7.

Many theories are floating on who might have tipped off the police. One theory says that a "foreign" (read Indian) intelligence agency tipped off law enforcement. One other theory from CID officials says that infighting among NSI officials may have been responsible for the 'tip-off'. Another simplistic theory is that the operation for smuggling in 10 truckloads of arms was botched as policemen on duty, unaware of the orders from high authorities, challenged the consignment and upon finding arms, placed the seizure on record.

8) A case history: Note that
NSI = National Security Intelligence
DGFI = Directorate General of Forces Intelligence
CUFL = Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited

June 27, 2003: In an earlier, significant arms haul, in the northwestern Bogra district, the police recover 100,000 cartridges and about 200 kg of explosives from an abandoned truck. The truck owner - Jogesh Dev Barman, a top leader of the Tripura Cooperatives Association, a front organization of the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) - is arrested from the southeastern border district of Habibganj.

Apr 3, 2004: Two cases are filed with Karnaphuli Police Station under section-25/B of the Special Powers Act for arms smuggling and section-19 (ka) of the Arms Act in connection with the arms haul. The first IO of the case is Ahadur Rahman, also the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Karnaphuli Police Station. Police arrest five men engaged in unloading of the cache on the day. Later, they were taken to the arms warehouse at Dampara Police Lines in Chittagong in 10 trucks guarded by a huge contingent of police, coastguard and paramilitary BDR. 43 accused are named in the initial chargesheet.

Apr 26, 2004: CID starts probe into the case as Ahadur Rahman is dropped by the establishment fearing his investigation into the case. ASP AKM Kabir Uddin Ahmed of Chittagong zone is the second IO of the case.

Apr 26, 2004: Security agencies intercept a microbus with crates of small arms including pistols and SMGs and ammunition on the Feni-Belonia route, close to Tripura border. The cargo is camouflaged under cigarettes and watermelons. It is a part of the shipment that evaded detection in Chittagong on Apr 2, 2004. The shipment is released due to pressure from the top.

June 11, 2004: ASP Kabir Uddin and inspector Mohammad Shah Alam submit the charge sheet accusing 39 people in the arms-haul case to the court.

June 15, 2004: Metropolitan session judge Fazlul Karim, who conducted the hearing, finds huge discrepancies in the investigation process and observes differences in the mode of examination by the previous and present investigation officers.

The first IO Ahadur Rahman mentioned only five trucks in the seizure list though the huge amount of arms and ammunition were carried from CUFL jetty to Dampara police line by ten trucks. “The first IO found five trucks fully and two others partially loaded during the seizure but didn’t mention the whereabouts of the three missing trucks,” PP Advocate Abdus Sattar pleaded in the court. The judge wants to know from Kabiruddin as to why he failed to verify the missing of the three trucks and why he did not include the owner of Green Ways Transport Agency Habibur Rahman and his two accomplices in the chargesheet along with other accused or witnesses. Kabiruddin admitted in the court that due to time constraints he could not collect the addresses of the said trio, but he said that the names of those persons would be included in the supplementary chargesheet later on.
More at: Linky

Aug 21, 2004: A major grenade attack is carried out on an AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue to assassinate Sheikh Hasina. A total of 24 people were killed and over 300 were maimed in the attack.

Aug 28, 2004: Following more investigation into the cases, another CID ASP Nowsher Ali of Sylhet Zone (third IO) submits the supplementary charge sheet to the court.

Oct 24, 2004: The Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court frames charges.

Oct 26, 2005: Hafizur Rahman, the prime accused in the case, is arrested after he surrenders before the High Court.

Late 2005 - Late 2006: Begum Khaleda Zia-led coalition government appoints a five-member inquiry committee headed by Home Secretary Omar Farooque (other members include Brig Gen. Rezzakul Hyder Chowdhury (now charge-sheeted), Brig Gen Enamur Rahman Chowdhury, a former DG of NSI, Shamsul Islam, DIG Special Branch, and Faruque Ahmad, DIG of CID) to probe the incident. However, this committee did not make public any of its findings.

Jan 11, 2007: A military controlled caretaker government under Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed takes office on the pretext of stymying the chaos that preceded this date. It is without legislative authority as it continued to function after its scheduled tenure of 120 days ended on 12 May 2007.

Jan 29, 2007: Din Mohammad, another prime accused in the case, is arrested after he surrendered before a Chittagong court.

Out of the 43 accused in the initial charge-sheet, only Hafizur Rahman (a smuggler) and Din Mohammad, who were allegedly involved with the arms smuggling, were behind bars while 33 were on bail and eight others are on the run. Names of two accused were later dropped from the chargesheet as they died.

Hafizur Rahman, who is the principal accused in the case, told the court that he had given the same statement that was later used to charge-sheet 11 major people on different occasions since his surrender in 2005. But it was never recorded. Instead, the officials concerned warned him against making such statements and threatened him with death, a number of leading Bangladesh dailies reported quoting Hafiz’s statement.

Nov 19, 2007: Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Humayun Kabir Russell files an appeal saying it could not be ruled out that the weapons and ammunition came from a ship at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port and then loaded on vessels. It is important to know the names of all the vessels that were at the outer anchorage of the port at that time, their import manifests and Onward Customs Declaration they made in Singapore, the APP said. Logs of the vessels should have been looked into and the speed of the vessels should have been figured out to know how much time they took to reach the outer anchorage of Chittagong port from Singapore. A number of the hauled arms and ammunition went missing from the custody of the law enforcers. Two police sergeants were held in this connection and three of the missing firearms were recovered, said the APP in the appeal. The previous two IOs made no investigation into these things, he observed.

Feb 12, 2008: During the tenure of the army-backed caretaker government, Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge ANM Bashirullah directs for further inquiry and fresh (a second time) investigation into the cases in response to an appeal from the state counsel Ahsanul Haque Hena. The court observes that the previous two IOs did not investigate deep into the case or mention anything about who brought the firearms, the place of shipment and their destinations. The police authorities appoint CID's assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Ismail Hossain Khan of Gazipur zone as the IO of the cases. Six months time is given to submit the report.

Aug 18, 2008: First extension provided for 150 days. Report due Jan 18, 2009.

Dec 29, 2008: Fresh elections are held under the Caretaker government formed with Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed as the Chief Adviser. A record 80% turnout is observed.

Jan 5, 2009: AL wins the elections held on Dec 29, 2008 winning 263 of 300 seats in the Jotiyo Songsad and takes office.

Jan 18, 2009: Ismail Hossain Khan fails to submit report on the case even after six extensions. In response to an appeal of the state counsel, the court directs to change the IO on the basis of seven observations. This time Mohammad Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, also assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Chittagong circle, is made the fifth IO of the case. Report due May 13, 2009.

Mar 4, 2009: Hafizur Rahman and Din Mohammad, in their confessional statement to the court clearly refer to the role of the chiefs of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and National Security Intelligence (NSI) in the shipment and handling of the arms cache. Rahman's confession before Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mahabubur Rahman is recorded in 43 pages.

Mar 12, 2009: CUFL former MD Mohsin Talukder and GM (admn) Enamul Haq are shown arrested after CUFL former security officer Mobin Hossain Khan in a statement said that he duly informed the MD of the deadly consignment. But the MD did not give any instruction to check the offloading.

Mar 17, 2009: The CUFL former MD Mohsin Talukder and former GM (administration) Enamul Haq are placed on a three-day remand each. The former CUFL officials are reportedly not cooperating with the investigators during questioning. They are arrested after former CUFL assistant security officer made a statement before a magistrate on March 12.

Mar 31, 2009: CID filed a case against three of its former investigators in connection with intentionally misdirecting the probe into the August 21 grenade attack case on Sheikh Hasina. IO Fazlur Kabir said that they destroyed evidence and did not record the confessional statements of the culprits, including outlawed Islamist militant outfit Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji) leader Mufti Hannan, who admitted his involvement. Hannan confessed to his involvement in the grenade attack and disclosed names of 27 others who were directly and indirectly involved in the planning and execution of the attack on the Awami League (AL) rally. The names include former BNP deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu. Through multiple investigations, the BNP-led alliance government tried to establish that the AL itself killed its own leaders and activists to tarnish the image of the BNP-led government. They also tried to prove that "foreign enemies" instigated the carnage and some listed criminals absconding in India had executed the attack.

Apr 12, 2009: Habibur Rahman and Taslim Mallick (owner and manager of Greenways Transport Agency whose truck was used in transporting the arms) give statements before the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate that NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan hired the 10 trucks that were supposed to carry the arms and ammunition seized at the CUFL jetty. They say that NSI field officer hired the trucks from them saying he would transport salt.

Apr 19, 2009: The CID arrest NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan for allegedly hiring the 10 trucks following the statements of Habibur Rahman and Taslim Mallick. He is also placed on a two-day remand after his arrest. Following the transport agency owners' statements the investigators interrogate Akbar Hossain as well as Assistant Director (AD) Mohammad Ali Chowdhury of NSI Gulshan circle (the then AD of NSI, Chittagong) at the CID Chittagong divisional headquarters in Dampara Police Lines. Since Akbar Hossain continues to deny his involvement in the matter Habibur Rahman is brought in to identify him as the person who hired the trucks. Sources say arrested NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan, now serving as a field officer at NSI Gulshan circle, reportedly hired the 10 trucks under the fake name of NSI field officer 'Abul Hossain' to carry the deadly weapons.

On the same day, the investigators also produce former CUFL MD and GM before a Chittagong court with a prayer for five-day fresh remand for each in connection with the case. The court places Mohsin on two days' fresh remand and permits investigators to interrogate Enamul at the jail gate.

May 3, 2009: Former director (Security) NSI Sahab Uddin is arrested in the capital's Green Road, following the statement of Akbar Hossain, for his alleged involvement in arranging transport and equipment for carrying the illegal arms and ammunition. Sahab Uddin, a wing commander of Bangladesh Air Force who joined the NSI on deputation, went into voluntary retirement soon after the arms haul. Detained NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan in a confessional statement before a magistrate said he hired seven trucks and a crane from Greenways for carrying the arms and ammunition on orders of Sahab Uddin.

May 13, 2009: Third extension provided for 70 days. Report due July 22, 2009. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Bhabani Prashad Singha.

May 16, 2009: The CID arrests two former director generals (DG) of the NSI-- Maj Gen (retd) Rezaqul Haider Chowdhury and Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim Chowdhury -- at their DOHS residences at Mohakhali in the capital in connection with the 10-truck arms haul case. The arrests are made following the confessional statements by former NSI director Sahab Uddin and arrested NSI Field Officer Akbar Hossain Khan. According to sources, during the arms haul in Chittagong Abdur Rahim was DG of the NSI while Rezaqul Haider was director of the DGFI. Rezaqul Haider also served as DG of NSI later.

July 23, 2009: Fourth extension provided for 75 days. Report due Oct 5, 2009. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Bhabani Prashad Singha.

Oct 5, 2009: Fifth extension provided for 90 days. Report due Jan 4, 2010. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Bhabani Prashad Singha.

Oct 26, 2009: Lutfozzaman Babar is accused in the grisly grenade attack case on AL on Aug 21, 2004.

Jan 4, 2010: Sixth extension provided for 75 days. Report due Mar 22, 2010. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Bhabani Prashad Singha.

Mar 22, 2010: Seventh extension provided for 60 days. Report due May 22, 2010.

May 23, 2010: Eighth extension provided for 63 days. Report due July 26, 2010.

July 26, 2010: Ninth extension provided for 60 days. Report due Sept 26, 2010. Acting Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Inamul Haque Bhuiyan.

Sept 26, 2010: Tenth extension provided for 60 days. Report due Nov 25, 2010. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Inamul Haque Bhuiyan.

Oct 3, 2010: Former state minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar shown arrested in the case. Metropolitan Magistrate Fazlul Bari passes the order for showing Babar arrested in the cases following a prayer from IO.

Oct 5, 2010: Former chairman of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) Maj Gen Mohammad Imamuzzaman in a judicial statement before a Chittagong court states that Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami showed indifferent attitude to the seizure of 10-truck arms haul and ammunition. Nizami also asked the then BCIC chairman not to do anything since the home ministry was going to take steps regarding the incident.
Metropolitan magistrate Mahabubur Rahman records the testimony of 12 pages.

Nov 21, 2010: Eleventh extension provided for 90 days. Report due Feb 22, 2011. Acting Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge -- Golam Sarwar.

Jan 27, 2011: A Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge Shamsul Islam rejects the bail petition of detained former minister Lutfozzaman Babar.

Feb 22, 2011: IO seeks a 90 day extension which is denied by the Chittagong Sessions Judges' Court. However, later the same court granted a 35 day extension. Report due Mar 30, 2011.

Mar 30, 2011: Twelfth extension provided for 45 days. Report due May 15, 2011. Chittagong Metropolitan Session’s Judge -- AKM Shamsul Islam. IO submits a 409-page case docket in CD form.

May 4, 2011: Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Hussain Muhammad Fazlul Bari passes an order for showing Nizami arrested. Chargesheet says: Nizami was the then Industries Minister, he did not take any effective legal action in connection with the seizure of arms unloaded at the CUFL jetty, which was under the supervision of the ministry. As per the petition, Nizami's reluctance regarding the seizure of huge arms was also revealed in a statement given by Imamuzzaman.

May 15, 2011: Thirteenth extension provided for 45 days. Report due June 29, 2011. Chittagong Metropolitan Session’s Judge -- AKM Shamsul Islam.

June 4, 2011: CID claims to have solved six out of seven issues that a Chittagong court directed to solve during further investigation. The unsolved issue is identifying the vessel that transported the consignment.

June 29, 2011: CID report due

Unexplored connections:
1) ARY group -- al Qaeda -- smuggling of gold and greenback -- 1998 Nairobi bombings
2) ARY group -- World Memon Organisation -- ISI -- Government of Pakistan
3) ARY group -- ARY Bangladesh TV -- ISI -- Salauddin Qader Chowdhury -- BNP
4) Motiur Rahman Nizami -- CUFL
5) Salauddin Qader Chowdhury -- ISI -- Tareque Rahman -- BNP
6) ULFA -- NSCN-IM -- ISI -- NORINCO

Sources:
1) Linky 1
2) Linky 2
3) Linky 3
4) Linky 4
5) Linky 5
6) Linky 6
7) Linky 7
8) Linky 8