Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying

[UPDATE:

• Read my op-ed about Congressman Jim McDermott’s private bill.
• Read the brief submitted by the Department of Justice to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals responding to Mohiuddin’s petition for asylum. It is a damning document that lays out Mohiuddin’s crimes.

]

Nearly 32 years after he committed his crimes, convicted terrorist Mohiuddin AKM Ahmed’s days of evading justice are coming to an end. His petition for rehearing and petition for enbanc hearing have been denied by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Court denied the petition on May 23, 2007. The docket reads [PACER login required]:

Filed order ( Thomas G. NELSON, Eugene E. Siler, Michael D. HAWKINS, ): The petition for rehearing and the petition for rehearing en banc are denied. [6133233-1]  [03-74603] (wp)

He faces deportation to Bangladesh as early as May 31, 2007.

Representative Jim McDermott, Democrat of Washington State, has introduced a private bill in the House to try to prevent Mohiuddin’s deportation. The bill is currently referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The bill has no cosponsors. The bill, HR 2181, claims, after the 9th Circuit found him guilty, that Mohiuddin "is an innocent Bangladeshi citizen." The bill aims to do the following:

• stay Mohiuddin’s deportation indefinitely
• release Mohiuddin from custody
• makes Mohiddin eligable for permanent residence
• gives Mohiuddin and his family preferential treatment in the granting of permanent residence over all other applicants for permanent residence from Bangladesh
• if Mohiuddin is deported, he shall be permitted to seek asylum in a foreign nation

This appears to be Congressman McDermott’s Terry Schiavo moment. The Congressman should explain why he believes a convicted terrorist deserves permanent residence over all other immigrants who have been patiently waiting in line. The Congressman should also explain why he thinks Mohiuddin is innocent when all courts that have looked at Mohiuddin’s case, including the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, have found him to be duly convicted of murder and terrorism.

Mohiuddin, an former Bangladeshi army officer, of course is now returning to Bangladesh at a time when the political situation there might work in his favor. Nonetheless, the United States Congress should not intervene by passing a private bill on behalf of a convicted terrorist after the courts of the land have ruled. His guilt is not in doubt. 

Certainly, a convicted terrorist should not be given permanent residence in the United States or allowed to escape justice by going into exile.

The killing in Iraq continues.

We are told we are there to avoid further killing. We were led into war by a President who ignored warnings that he would create a mess in Iraq. Last week the same President, the "commander guy", dismissed those warnings by saying "we were warned about a lot of things, some of which happened, some of which didn’t happen."

Now we are being warned that leaving Iraq would be, in the President’s own words, "catastrophic". Now we are told our children are in danger - that they will follow us here if we leave Iraq, presumably to attack our children.

The New York Times this morning joins CNN from a few weeks ago in laying out the frightening fear of withdrawal:

Would the pullback of American forces unleash an even bloodier round of civil conflict that would lead to the implosion of the Iraqi government? Or would it put pressure on Iraqi politicians to finally reconcile their differences? More bluntly: how bad would things get?

…

If the American forces were reduced too soon, military officials say, the fledgling Iraqi Army and police forces could not hold the line against a rising tide of suicide bomb attacks by insurgent groups like Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. Shiite militias that had decided to lie low would resume large-scale attacks on Sunni residents. Mixed Sunni and Shiite neighborhoods, already growing scarce, would disappear, and Iraqi forces would fracture along sectarian lines. [Emphasis added by me.]

In other words, if the United States leaves Iraq an all out civil war will break out. That apparently is the justification for sacrificing more American and Iraqi lives.

However, continued American presence in Iraq is making the very end game that experts warn against more likely. The United States is not a stabilizing force in Iraq. The United States is creating the conditions for instability in Iraq and the region. The longer we stay the more difficult it will be for us to extricate ourselves from Iraq. The longer we stay the bloodier it will be in Iraq once we inevitably leave.

It is time to examine what our presence has wrought.

Already nearly 15% of Iraq’s population, 4 million citizens, have fled their homes. Amongst the killing the battle lines are being drawn on the map. The American presence provides just the minimal level of protection needed for the warring sides to arm and fortify themselves without fear of a full scale attack by an opposing side. Furthermore, for years now, the United States has been training and equipping one of the warring sides in this civil war. A report from December 2005 (months before the Samarra mosque bombing) offers some chilling perspective:

OF ALL THE bloodshed in Iraq, none may be more disturbing than the campaign of torture and murder being conducted by U.S.-trained government police forces. Reports last week in the Los Angeles Times and New York Times chronicled how Iraqi Interior Ministry commando and police units have been infiltrated by two Shiite militias, which have been conducting ethnic cleansing and rounding up Sunnis suspected of supporting the insurgency. Hundreds of bodies have been appearing along roadsides and in garbage dumps, some with acid burns or with holes drilled in them.

Even before the Samarra bombings of 2006, Iraq’s minister of civil war, Bayan Jabr, with American money and support had turned the business of killing into an efficient enterprise. Today the killing continues in spite of the "surge".

Baghdad, the target of the "surge", is being systematically ethnically cleansed. In just over a year, Baghdad has disintegrated into Shia and Sunni camps. A comparison of the sectarian map of Baghdad from before 2006 and now illustrates the point dramatically [Source: BBC]:

Baghdad Sectarian Map - pre 2006

Baghdad Sectarian Map - 2007

The Bush Administration has created the very conditions in Iraq that it warns against. There is no indication that further American occupation of Iraq will reverse the worsening conditions. It certainly will not reverse under the policies of Mr. Bush, who still fails to understand the sectarian nature of the chaos in Iraq and his own role in bringing it about.

If there is any hope for Iraq it lies in an orderly withdrawal of American forces. The United States should begin the diplomatic and political groundwork necessary to bring about an American military pullback. This will require working with Iraq’s neighbors, including especially Iran, Turkey and Syria, to try to contain the instability that may follow. This will also require the United States to cut the Iraqi government loose. Working without the protection of the Green Zone may clarify the minds of the incumbent Iraqi leaders.

Bloodshed in Iraq in the wake of an American pullout may be unavoidable. But without an American withdrawal, bloodshed in Iraq is guaranteed.

The Bush Administration is contributing significantly to the militarization of South Asia. In pursuit of its War on Terror, the Bush Administration has been subsidizing General Musharraf and his military as they continue to cling to power in Pakistan. Pakistan is most definitely not a poster child for Mr. Bush’s "Freedom Agenda". Yet it is a poster child for everything that is wrong with Mr. Bush’s War on Terror.

The Bush Administration funds 20% of Pakistan’s military budget by writing big monthly checks to the Pakistan military. That American largesse is ostensibly to reimburse Pakistan for its expenses in the War on Terror. However, in reality the money flows regardless of any work Pakistan actually performs in support of Mr. Bush’s war. Today’s New York Times reports:

The United States is continuing to make large payments of roughly $1 billion a year to Pakistan for what it calls reimbursements to the country’s military for conducting counterterrorism efforts along the border with Afghanistan, even though Pakistan’s president decided eight months ago to slash patrols through the area where Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters are most active.

…

The monthly payments, called coalition support funds, are not widely advertised. Buried in public budget numbers, the payments are intended to reimburse Pakistan’s military for the cost of the operations. So far, Pakistan has received more than $5.6 billion under the program over five years, more than half of the total aid the United States has sent to the country since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, not counting covert funds.

…

Some American military officials in the region have recommended that the money be tied to Pakistan’s performance in pursuing Al Qaeda and keeping the Taliban from gaining a haven from which to attack the government of Afghanistan. American officials have been surprised by the speed at which both organizations have gained strength in the past year.

But Bush administration officials say no such plan is being considered, despite new evidence that the Pakistani military is often looking the other way when Taliban fighters retreat across the border into Pakistan, ignoring calls from American spotters to intercept them. There is also at least one American report that Pakistani security forces have fired in support of Taliban fighters attacking Afghan posts.

Pakistan, a nation under arms, spends about 28% of its current expenditure budget on its military. As Pakistan’s despot, General Pervez Musharraf, tries desperately to rig the upcoming "elections" to stay in power, the concern in Washington is that if the Musharraf government falls there will be an Islamist takeover of Pakistan. This rationale is used to justify the large monthly money transfers to the Pakistan military:

The administration, according to some current and former officials, is fearful of cutting off the cash or linking it to performance for fear of further destabilizing Pakistan’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who is facing the biggest challenges to his rule since he took power in 1999.

The concern over an Islamist takeover is fueled by Musharraf to continue to curry favor with the West. The Los Angeles Times reports today:

President Pervez Musharraf acknowledged that Islamic militancy was increasing across Pakistan and said tough measures were needed to fight it.

"We need to strongly counter it," Musharraf said in an interview aired late Friday by the private Aaj television channel.

If the rhetoric from Musharraf sounds familiar, it should. It is the same rhetoric used by the White House to continue to justify ongoing operations in Iraq. In both cases the status quo, the continued military occupation in the case of Iraq and the military rule in the case of Pakistan, fuels Islamist militancy and in both cases failure of the status quo is deemed unacceptable for fear of an Islamist takeover.

However, while in case of Iraq the resentment to American occupation creates a fertile ground for Islamist militants, in Pakistan the Islamist militants have active support from elements of the Pakistan military. Their rise during military rule in Pakistan is no accident. They are both used by the military to stay in power and used by the military as an excuse to scare foreign benefactors to maintain power.

The Pakistani military has a long history of patronizing Islamists. The military consolidates its power in Pakistan by squeezing out legitimate and moderate political voices and stifling any remnants of a democratic culture. It finds a natural ally in Islamists such as the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Taliban. It was, after all, the military dictator Zia-ul-Haq who promulgated the Hudood Ordinance that instituted Sharia Law in Pakistan. It was Pakistan’s powerful Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) that brought the Taliban to power in Afghanistan. There are elements in the military and ISI who continue to actively support and protect the Taliban as well as Islamist militants within Pakistan. Today’s New York Times article has this bit of unsettling news:

Two American analysts and one American soldier said Pakistani security forces had fired mortars shells and rocket-propelled grenades in direct support of Taliban ground attacks on Afghan Army posts. A copy of an American military report obtained by The New York Times described one of the attacks.

“Enemy supporting fires consisting of heavy machine guns and R.P.G.’s were provided by two Pakistani observation posts,” said the report, referring to rocket-propelled grenades. The grenades killed one Afghan soldier and ignited an ammunition fire that destroyed the observation post, according to the report. It concluded that “the Pakistani military actively supported the enemy assault” on the Afghan post.

…

A second American analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said American soldiers had told him that Pakistani forces supported Taliban ground attacks with mortar fire and rocket-propelled grenades at least two dozen times in 2005 and 2006. Senior American military officials said that they had not heard of the incidents, but added that Pakistani tribal militia, not Pakistani soldiers, could be supporting the Taliban attacks.

It should surprise no one that the Pakistani military offers support to Taliban and Islamist militants. It should shock everyone that our tax dollars are paying for this support.

The most likely scenario in Pakistan if Musharraf falls is not an Islamist takeover. The most likely scenario is a coup by other enterprising generals. The Islamists will remain, as they always have, junior partners to the military in Pakistan. The real question is whether the United States should continue to fund this cozy arrangement. We the taxpayers should ask if this is money well spent.

"I know it was you Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!"

- Michael Corleane, The Godfather: Part II

Washington DC is all abuzz with the rumor that Alberto Gonzales will resign this evening. Normally I don’t do rumors but this one is too juicy to pass up. It does make a certain amount of sense since he is about to be on the receiving end of a "no confidence" vote in the Senate and quite possibly in the House next week. But then again, this White House is in deep bunker mode and there is no reason for them to toss Gonzo out of the bunker.

In case you missed it, Gonzo’s credibility is at zero after James Comey’s riveting testimony earlier this week.

I’m heading home to make some pop corn.

UPDATE: There is a report in the Bangladesh paper New Nation that the letter from the senators is a forgery. However, I just got off the phone with Senator Joe Biden’s office. They confirmed for me that the letter was indeed sent and the content of the letter is as was widely reported. We should keep in mind that the New Nation is owned by an advisor to the military government, and the new report from the New Nation may be part of a disinformation campaign.

UPDATE 2: The press person from Senator Biden’s office called me to tell me that the letter had been released to the press. So there should be no confusion about its authenticity. I love it when government works this efficiently and is this responsive to a citizen. Kudos to the staff at Senator Biden’s office. Senator Biden’s Washington office number is 202-224-5042.

UPDATE 3: The New Nation carries on the charade. They have a detailed story on their front page now claiming the letter is a forgery. Never mind that I and others have confirmed from Senator Biden and Senator Kerry’s office that they in fact did send this letter. Wow! Simply wow! The newspaper owned by Mainul Hosein, the military government’s information advisor, is playing the role of Baghdad Bob perfectly. Don’t let the facts hit you on the way to publishing your paper.

UPDATE 4: Salam Dhaka has confirmation from Senator Kerry’s office. Shada Kalo has confirmation from Senator Kennedy’s and Senator Lugar’s offices. He also has more information about the "reporting" from the New Nation.

———————

Actually, its a "Dear Fakhruddin" letter. Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined by a number of other prominent senators, sent a letter to the titular head of the Bangladesh military government, Fakhruddin Ahmed, urging the following:

1) promptly lift the state of emergency and restore full civil and political rights to all citizens of Bangladesh; and

2) announce, within the next two months, a roadmap towards free and fair elections to be held as soon as possible, with input of the political parties and civil society leaders, so that a democratically-elected government can be restored as soon as possible.

The letter can be viewed here.

The letter was signed by the following bipartisan group of senators:

Joe Biden
Edward Kennedy
Hillary Clinton
John Kerry
Richard Lugar
Chris Dodd
Barbara Boxer
Robert Menendez
Chuck Schumer
Joe Lieberman
Norm Coleman
John Sununu
Russ Feingold
Johnny Isakson
Frank Lautenberg

This letter comes on the heels of a trip to Washington by Bangladeshi special envoy Farooq Sobhan. During his trip, Mr. Sobhan met with the National Security Council, the State Department and members of Congress to lobby on behalf of the military government in Bangladesh. I am guessing the trip didn’t go well.

Former Deputy Attorney General James Comey testified yesterday about Mr. Gonzales’s late night visit to the hospital to convince an ailing attorney general John Ashcroft to sign off on Mr. Bush’s domestic wiretapping plan which the Justice Department had already deemed illegal. It was riveting testimony. There is not much I can add to Mr. Comey’s testimony in this post. My best advice is that you watch the entirety of it - it is well worth the time.

I was reminded of the famous scene in "The Godfather" where Vito Corleone lies in the hospital unguarded and Michael Corleone rushes to save his father’s life.

To get a flavor of the kind of attorney general Alberto Gonzales is, as Alfredo points out in the comments, consider his remarks at the National Press Club soon after Paul McNulty resigned:

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Tuesday that his deputy, who is resigning, was the most important player in the controversial decision about which U.S. attorneys should be fired last year.

…

"You have to remember, at the end of the day, the recommendations reflected the views of the deputy attorney general. He signed off on the names," Gonzales said. "And he would know better than anyone else, anyone in this room, anyone — again, the deputy attorney general would know best about the qualifications and the experiences of the United States attorneys community, and he signed off on the names."

Gonzales, who called McNulty’s pending departure "a loss" for the Department of Justice, said that his chief of staff had only coordinated the process of evaluating U.S. attorneys, while McNulty’s opinion "would be the most important.

"The one person I would care about would be the views of the deputy attorney general, because the deputy attorney general is the direct supervisor of the United States attorneys," Gonzales said.

Gonzales said he was reassured by McNulty as recently as March that the firings all were justified.

Gonzo. Pathetic. Worse than Watergate.

Paul McNulty resigned:

The No. 2 official at the Justice Department, Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, submitted his resignation to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the Justice Department announced Monday.

McNulty cited personal reasons for his resignation.

"The financial realities of college-age children and two decades of public service lead me to a long overdue transition in my career," he wrote in his resignation letter.

Or in Kyle Sampson speak, he resigned for performance reasons:

the distinction between "political" and "performance-related" reasons for removing a United States Attorney is, in my view, largely artificial. A U.S. Attorney who is unsuccessful from a political perspective, either because he or she has alienated the leadership of the Department in Washington or cannot work constructively with law enforcement or other governmental constituencies in the district important to effective leadership of the office, is unsuccessful.

This is a sad day for injustice.

This is truly disturbing. It is outrageous. A 91 year-old veteran of World War II was beaten mercilessly by a carjacker in a public parking lot in Detroit as people looked on and did nothing. The entire incident was caught on tape.

There is something horribly wrong when a carjacker feels the need to punch an aging veteran 21 times before stealing his car.

Here is the video of the carjacking. It is difficult to watch, and even more difficult to believe that this is happening to a senior citizen and a veteran.

In the wake of the detention by the Bangladesh military of journalist and blogger Tasneem Khalil, I was interviewed by BBC World Service Radio last night about blogging and the intimidation of bloggers by governments. In addition to talking about Tasneem’s case I cited the case of the Egyptian blogger Monem currently under detention for "anti-state" blogging. Little did I know at the time that the topic would hit close to home the very next day.

Yesterday a commenter calling himself "ABC" posted identical comments on a number of Bangladeshi blogs that were involved in the successful campaign to free Tasneem Khalil. "ABC" posted a similar comment on my blog as well. At the time he posted, the commenter had information about the negotiations to free Tasneem from military custody that was not yet public. He was also posting his comments from Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was widely assumed that he was affiliated with elements within the Bangladesh military.

Today the commenter "ABC" is back. He has posted a threatening comment on a number of Bangladeshi blogs. A check of the IP address he was posting from confirmed that he was the same commenter. Below is what he wrote on one of the blogs that participated in the campaign:

This is ABC. Yes, you could be arrested for your blogs here and DP, but you won’t be. Military knows very well who writes what and what has been discussed in the last 3 months. Very open discussions, critical analyses, criticisms, points/counterpoints. Military believes on freedom of speech and individual rights. At times, very objectionable remarks are also made against military. Those are viewed as ‘personal opinions’ and never interfered. May be some of you are thinking that you are indulging in your intellectual efforts sitting in a different country (a safe place)and you are beyond reach. Very wrong. If military wants to get you, it will get you. In fact, you will struggle on your own to catch the next available flight to Dhaka. But military is not interested on you….or any particular blogger. You have 100% freedom of expressing your views and you are already enjoying it uninterruptedly.

Blogging and sending SMS is no crime (as many has asked this question). In fact blogging and SMSs are the wonders of modern science in effective communication. As long as you use your knife to cut potatoes, you are fine. Try this on cutting somebody’s throat, you are in big trouble.

So you don’t know the content of Tasneem’s SMSs. You don’t know what was found in his computer. You don’t know who else were his contacts apart from you guys. It is obvious, you will scream. Ever seen in movie an FBI action ? Ever heard the term counter-terrorism? Think about the entire thing in cool brain. Is it a very difficult puzzle?

Enjoy your blogging. Say whatever you want to. Criticize or advise any way you want. Nobody will tell you or your family members back home anything. You should all be proud that your military has got appreciations and love in over 2 dozens countries for their professional work. They are not aliens from Mars. They are your brothers, uncles and nephews. They are not against you and they have no interest in stopping your right to speak freely.

Would appreciate if this is shared with your other fellow bloggers. [Emphasis added by me.]

We know that newspaper editors and reporters in Bangladesh have been intimidated. The detention of Tasneem Khalil is the most recent example of intimidation of the press by elements of the Bangladesh military. Now the intimidation has crossed outside the borders of Bangladesh. I am not sure where the line is between innuendo and a prosecutable federal offence for making threats over the internet, but I suspect if the current tone of the commenter continues he will soon cross it. However, that is little solace for many expatriate Bangladeshi bloggers who stood together yesterday, along with many bloggers from all over the world, to help a man thousands of miles away whose freedom and life were in great peril. Those selfless and brave Bangladeshi expatriates shouted to the world yesterday when a man’s voice was being silenced in Bangladesh. Today the same bloggers fear for their loved ones.

Fear and intimidation are the weapons of thugs the world over. They aim to achieve silence. They aim to achieve compliance. All things that are antithetical to human freedom and liberty.

 TASNEEM KHALIL HAS BEEN RELEASED (5/11/2007 1:39pm)

From Asif at Drishtipat:

Update 9:11:33 pm BDT
Tasneem is meeting with Mahfuz Anam in his office alone. Staffers in office say he looks physically ok, but badly shaken up. He is being taken home to his wife by DS staff after the meeting with MA.

Update 8:11:15 pm BDT
Tasneem Khalil released by joint forces. 24 hours after being picked up.

Update 7:10:15 pm BDT
Senior Daily Star office are huddled in office, including Mahfuz Anam. MA has released a statement. Excerpts: ” “I contacted the authorities concerned and was informed that him being questioned was not due to his journalistic work and had nothing to do with his functions at The Daily Star….In fact, it was because of the contents of his personal blog and some SMSs he had sent recently….Following my discussions with the authorities and because of the caretaker government’s commitment to the policy of freedom of the media, it was agreed that he would be released tonight.” Full statement is not online on DS website yet.

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR OVERWHELMING RESPONSE. I’ll post more as I know more.

[Courtesy bdnews24.com] Below is the Press Release from Daily Star editor and publisher Mahfuz Anam that was sent out after negotiations with the military to secure Tasneem’s release (click image for larger version):

Update 5/11/2007 7:14pm): Amnesty International and Committee to Protect Journalists have sent out alerts for Tasneem Khalil. The BBC has also reported on his case.

Update (5/11/2007 11:02am): The military has apparently promised to release Tasneem by 11:30am EST (9:30pm Bangladesh time).  I’ll update as soon as I hear anything. Nothing is certain until he is released - the situation is quite fluid. Follow Drishtipat for up-to-the-minute information.

Tasneem Khalil, an editor at the Bangladesh’s leading English language daily, The Daily Star, has been taken away from his home by the military in Bangladesh. He was taken away just a few hours ago in the middle of the night. His whereabouts are currently unknown and his life is most certainly in danger.

Apparently Mr. Khalil’s crime is that he did his job. He spoke truthfully about the current situation in Bangladesh. He was interviewed by Nora Boustany of the Washington Post last month - that interview may have cost him his freedom and now possibly his life.

I have been speaking out over the last month about the military takedown of the democratic system in Bangladesh. One by one the fundamental rights of Bangladeshis have been taken away. But, Bangladeshis have recently started to fight back against the military. The press, the people and the courts have begun speaking out. The military now aims to silence them. Their thuggery is now plain to see.

Do not let Tasneem Khalil be "disappeared" into darkness. He is one of the brightest lights in Bangladeshi journalism and today, this minute, his life is in danger. Other reporters in Bangladesh are currently living in fear.

I urge anyone reading this post to come to the rescue of a man who has in times of need spoken out for freedom. Only sustained pressure and international news coverage will stay the brutal hand of the Bangladesh military.

UPDATE (5/10/2007 7:13 pm):

Human Rights Watch has just released the following statement demanding immediate release of Tasneem Khalil:

Bangladesh: Release Journalist and Rights Activist

Army Arrests Tasneem Khalil of Human Rights Watch

(London, May 11, 2007) – Bangladesh’s military-backed care-taker government should immediately release Tasneem Khalil, an investigative journalist and part-time Human Rights Watch consultant, who was detained by security forces late last night, Human Rights Watch said today.

Khalil, 26, is a journalist for the Dhaka-based Daily Star newspaper who conducts research for Human Rights Watch. According to his wife, four men in plainclothes who identified themselves as from the “joint task force”came to the door after midnight on May 11 in Dhaka, demanding to take Khalil away. They said they were placing Khalil “under arrest” and taking him to the Sangsad Bhavan army camp, outside the parliament building in Dhaka.  
 
“We are extremely concerned about Tasneem Khalil’s safety,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “He has been a prominent voice in Bangladesh for human rights and the rule of law, and has been threatened because of that.”  
 
The men did not offer a warrant or any charges, Khalil’s wife said. Using threatening language, they searched the house and confiscated Khalil’s passport, two computers, documents, and two mobile phones.  
 
“It is an emergency; we can arrest anyone,” one of the men said. Another asked if Khalil suffered from any particular physical ailments. They drove Khalil off in a Pajero jeep.  
 
Khalil is a noted investigative journalist who has published several controversial exposes of official corruption and abuse, particularly by security forces. He assisted Human Rights Watch in research for a 2006 report about torture and extrajudicial killings by Bangladesh security forces.  
 
According to Bangladeshi human rights groups, the army has detained tens of thousands of people since a state of emergency was declared on January 11, 2007. A number of those detained are picked up in the middle of the night, as Khalil was, and then tortured.  
 
In Bangladesh, security forces have long been implicated in torture and extrajudicial killings. The killings have been attributed to members of the army, the police, and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite anti-crime and anti-terrorism force. The Human Rights Watch report Khalil worked on, “Judge, Jury, and Executioner: Torture and Extrajudicial Killings by Bangladesh’s Elite Security Force,” focused on abuses by the RAB.  
 
Killings in custody remain a persistent problem in Bangladesh. To date, no military personnel are known to have been held criminally responsible for any of the deaths.  
 
Khalil was called in for questioning by military intelligence last week, apparently as part of the military’s campaign to intimidate independent journalists ahead of May 10, 2007, when the army’s three-month legal mandate for ruling under a state of emergency came to an end.  
 
“The Bangladeshi military should be on notice that its actions are being closely watched by the outside world,” Adams said. “Any harm to Tasneem Khalil will seriously undermine the army’s claims to legitimacy and upholding the rule of law.”

 Update 2 (5/10/2007 11:18pm):

CNN Wire is currently carrying the following story of Tasneem Khalil’s arrest:

Bangladeshi journalist arrested

(CNN) — A Bangladeshi journalist was arrested and taken from his home Friday and is believed to be held by the army for unknown reasons, according to his wife.

Tasneem Khalil, who also works part-time for Human Rights Watch and as a stringer for several news organizations, including CNN, writes for the Dhaka-based Daily Star.

Khalil’s wife telephoned CNN to say that men from an army intelligence unit arrested him early Friday.

In a statement, Khalil’s wife said he was arrested by four men in plainclothes who said they were from "the joint task force." They refused to tell Khalil on what charges he was being arrested and cautioned him to be quiet "if you don’t want anything else to happen," she said.

She said the men searched the house, taking Khalil’s passport and cell phones, two desktop computers and "all the documents, notepads, piles of paper, CDs and everything. They took it all away."

The men allegedly took Khalil to the Sangsad Bhavan army camp, outside the parliament building in Dhaka. (Posted 7:33 p.m.)

Update (5/11/2007 1:50am):

According to CNN, CNN and Human Rights Watch are in contact with the Bangladeshi government trying to get information about Tasneem:

The Bangladeshi army has detained thousands of people since declaring a state of emergency on January 11, Human Rights Watch said. Many of them have been tortured, the group said.

"We are extremely concerned about Tasneem Khalil’s safety," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "He has been a prominent voice in Bangladesh for human rights and the rule of law and has been threatened because of that."

Late last year, Khalil worked on an HRW report about the elite Bangladeshi security forces and its alleged participation in torture and extrajudicial killings, said HRW press director Emma Daly.

CNN and HRW have been in contact with Bangladesh’s Special Envoy to the United States, Farook Sobhan, and other officials in attempts to find information about Khalil. Sobhan told CNN it was the first he’d heard about Khalil’s arrest and promised to make inquiries.

Update (5/11/2007 7:30am):

Tasneem is alive. He has been allowed to speak briefly on the telephone with his wife. The Associate Press is now covering his story. Scroll down for previous updates.