EGYPT: NEW TERRORIST GROUP, AL-WA'AD (THE PROMISE)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CAIRO 007997

FOR S/CT, NEA/ENA, NEA/P; NSC FOR RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2006
TAGS: KISL PTER PGOV PHUM EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT: NEW TERRORIST GROUP, AL-WA'AD (THE PROMISE)
FACES MILITARY TRIBUNAL

CLASSIFIED BY ECONOMIC/POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR GENE A.
CRETZ FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF TRIAL BEFORE THE MILITARY
TRIBUNAL, THE PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN ORGANIZATION OF 94 EGYPTIANS
AND FOREIGNERS, WHICH HAS BECOME KNOWN AS "AL-WA'AD" (THE
PROMISE),IS ALLEGED TO BE A SOPHISTICATED NETWORK OF
TERRORIST CELLS. INDICTMENTS WERE ISSUED AGAINST 94
DEFENDANTS, INCLUDING 7 FUGITIVES, ACCUSED OF FORMING A
CLANDESTINE ILLEGAL ORGANIZATION WITH THE PURPOSE OF IMPEDING
THE CONSTITUTION AND EGYPTIAN LAW, INFRINGING ON PERSONAL
FREEDOM AND PUBLIC RIGHTS AND DAMAGING NATIONAL UNITY AND
SOCIAL PEACE. A NUMBER OF MEMBERS WERE ALLEGEDLY PLANNING TO
COMMIT TERRORIST ACTS, INCLUDING ASSASSINATION OF PUBLIC AND
GOVERNMENT FIGURES. THEY COLLECTED FUNDS, THE GOVERNMENT
CLAIMS, UPWARDS OF $1,000,000 IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. WHILE
THE GROUP CLAIMS IT WAS NOT PLANNING INTERNAL OPERATIONS IN
EGYPT, IT ADMITTED SUPPORTING PALESTINIAN AND CHECHEN
FIGHTERS. AL-WA'AD IS SAID TO BE HEADED BY TWO RELIGIOUS
FIGURES AND A COMPUTER ENGINEER. ACCORDING TO THE
PROSECUTION, ITS GOAL WAS TO UNDERMINE THE STATE AND TO
ASSASSINATE POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR FIGURES,
INCLUDING PRESIDENT MUBARAK AND THE SHEIKH OF AL-AZHAR. IN
REALITY, LITTLE HAS COME TO LIGHT ABOUT THE TRUE ASPIRATIONS
OF THE GROUP, WHICH ADMITTEDLY COLLECTED LARGE SUMS OF MONEY,
WHICH IT CLAIMS WAS BEING SENT TO CHECHEN REBELS AND
PALESTINIANS (HAMMAS). THE TRIAL CONTINUES AT A RAPID PACE
AS WE APPROACH THE LONG EID AL-FITR HOLIDAY BUT IS NOT LIKELY
TO CONCLUDE FOR ANOTHER FEW WEEKS. END SUMMARY

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REINVIGORATING THE MILITARY COURTS SYSTEM
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2. (C) FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2 YEARS, CIVILIAN DEFENDANTS
WERE REFERRED TO EGYPT'S MILITARY COURTS SYSTEM FOR TRIAL.
THE TRIAL OF THE FIRST OF THREE CIVILIAN GROUPS IN THE
MILITARY TRIBUNAL AT HUCKSTEP, OUTSIDE CAIRO, BEGAN ON
NOVEMBER 18. SOME OF THE DEFENDANTS STAND ACCUSED OF
TERRORIST-RELATED CRIMES. INDICTMENTS WERE ISSUED AGAINST 94
DEFENDANTS, INCLUDING 7 FUGITIVES, ACCUSED OF FORMING A
CLANDESTINE ILLEGAL ORGANIZATION WITH THE PURPOSE OF IMPEDING
THE CONSTITUTION AND EGYPTIAN LAW, INFRINGING ON PERSONAL
FREEDOM AND PUBLIC RIGHTS AND DAMAGING NATIONAL UNITY AND
SOCIAL PEACE. A NUMBER OF MEMBERS WERE ALLEGEDLY PLANNING TO
COMMIT TERRORIST ACTS, INCLUDING ASSASSINATION OF PUBLIC AND
GOVERNMENT FIGURES, MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS, EGYPTIANS AND
AMERICANS. THEY COLLECTED FUNDS, THE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS,
UPWARDS OF $1,000,000 IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, TO SUPPORT THE
PALESTINIAN INTIFADA AND CHECHEN REBELS. WHILE AL-WA'AD
CLAIMS IT WAS NOT PLANNING INTERNAL OPERATIONS IN EGYPT, IT
ADMITTED SUPPORTING PALESTINIAN AND CHECHEN FIGHTERS.

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LEADERS AND MEMBERS OF AL-WA'AD
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3. (C) FORMED IN 1996, AL-WA'AD'S OPERATIONS WERE
CLANDESTINE, ACCORDING TO THE PROSECUTION. THE
INVESTIGATION, ONGOING SINCE MAY 2001, REVEALED A NETWORK
HEADED BY TWO POPULAR PRAYER LEADERS, SHEIKH FAWZY AL-SAYEED,
57, FROM AL-TAWHEED MOSQUE IN DOWNTOWN CAIRO AND NASHAT
IBRAHIM, 46, THE ORATOR OF THE KABUL MOSQUE IN THE SUBURB OF
NASR CITY. (NOTE: NASHAT WAS ARRESTED IN 1981, IN CONNECTION
WITH THE SADAT ASSASSINATION, SPENT A YEAR IN PRISON, AFTER
WHICH HE TRAVELED TO SAUDI ARABIA BEFORE RETURNING TO FOUND
AL- WA'AD.) WHILE NASHAT CLAIMED THAT AL-WA'AD WAS OPPOSED
TO TERRORISM AND VIOLENCE, THE PROSECUTION ALLEGED THEY WERE
PLANNING INTERNAL SUBVERSION AND VIOLENCE. IN ADDITION TO
THE FORMAL CHARGES, AL-SAYEED HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF ISSUING A
FATWA (RELIGIOUS OPINION) CLAIMING THE EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT IS
AN INFIDEL WHO DOES NOT IMPLEMENT SHARIA (ISLAMIC LAW)
RULINGS.


4. (C) AL-WA'AD MEMBERS INCLUDED EGYPTIANS AND FOREIGNERS,
AMONG THEM DUAL NATIONALS FROM THE U.S. (MUHAMMAD HISHAM SAYF
AL-DIN YOUSSEF) , HOLLAND (HISHAM MAHMOUD DIYAB),AUSTRIA
(MUHAMMAD RABBAH SALIM) AND GERMANY (MUHAMMAD HASAN
AL-WARDANI). A PRINCIPAL DEFENDANT AND ALLEGED LEADER OF THE
AL-WA'AD ORGANIZATION, MAGDI IDRIS, 33 YEARS OLD, IS A
COMPUTER ENGINEER WHO OWNS A SPORTS GYM, ALLEGEDLY A SITE FOR
TRAINING MILITANTS. HE REPORTEDLY RECRUITED MEMBERS ABROAD
TO CONDUCT MILITARY AND EXPLOSIVES TRAINING IN EGYPT. AN
AL-WA'AD MEMBER, A DAGESTANI BOMB EXPERT, WAS FOUND IN
POSSESSION OF NUMEROUS EXPLOSIVE DEVICES. TWELVE EGYPTIAN
SUSPECTS WERE CHARGED WITH RECEIVING MILITARY TRAINING
OUTSIDE EGYPT, WITHOUT GOVERNMENT PERMISSION. TWO OR THREE
SEVERAL DEFENDANTS, ACCORDING TO STATE SECURITY PROSECUTION,
WERE TRAINED IN AFGHANISTAN. OTHER DEFENDANTS INCLUDED
BUSINESSMEN, COMPUTER EXPERTS AND PILOTS. THE GOVERNMENT
CLAIMS THAT THE GROUP ADVOCATED A VIOLENT IDEOLOGY, SIMILAR
TO EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD, INTENDING TO ATTACK PRESIDENT
MUBARAK, GOVERNMENT AND AMERICAN OFFICIALS, POPULAR SECULAR
FIGURES AND THE MODERATE SHEIKH OF AL-AZHAR. NASSERITE
WEEKLY AL-ARABY REPORTED (11/1/01) THAT ACCORDING TO SHEIKH
FAWZY AL-SAYEED, THE NAMES OF SIX INITIAL DEFENDANTS, SONS OF
FORMER AND PRESENT SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, WERE DROPPED
FROM THE FORMAL INDICTMENT.

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OPENING SESSION: THE PLOT REVEALED
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5. (C) AT THE OPENING SESSION (11/18),THE COURT HEARD
REQUESTS FROM DEFENSE ATTORNEYS, WHO FAILED TO FORM A DEFENSE
PANEL, LED BY ONE LAWYER. MANY ATTORNEYS FOR THE DEFENSE
STRESSED THAT THEY WANTED TO PROCEED INDEPENDENTLY TO DEFEND
ONLY THEIR RESPECTIVE CLIENTS. AT THE NEXT HEARING ON
NOVEMBER 21, THE GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED WEAPONS, INCLUDING A
BASEBALL BAT AND AIR RIFLE, WHICH WERE RULED INADMISSIBLE BY
THE JUDGES. THE PROSECUTION SAID THAT MAJOR OPERATIONS WERE
TO INCLUDE ATTACKING MOTORCADES OF SENIOR OFFICIALS; ATTACKS
AGAINST THE SHEIKH OF AL-AZHAR, THE RADIO AND TV BUILDING, AN
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION HOUSING AMERICAN PILOTS AND ATTACKS
AGAINST BOTH MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN PERSONALITIES. THE
PROSECUTOR CHARGED THAT AL-WA'AD RECENTLY COLLECTED $600,000,
WHICH WAS SENT TO A JORDANIAN RESIDENT IN THE UAE (MOHAMED
ALI, AKA ABU-HAMZAH),WHO RUNS THE AL-HARAMAYN CHARITY
FOUNDATION IN SAUDI ARABIA. THROUGH THE UAE CONNECTIONS,
THEY FUNNELED MONEY TO THE CHECHEN RESISTANCE, ACCORDING TO
THE PROSECUTION. AL-WA'AD SOUGHT TO INDOCTRINATE YOUNG
EGYPTIANS, TO RECRUIT THEM TO FIGHT IN CHECHENYA AND THE
BALKANS. ONCE THEY DEVELOPED EXPERTISE, THE GOVERNMENT
CLAIMS, THEY WOULD RETURN TO EGYPT TO CARRY OUT TERRORIST
OPERATIONS. AL-AHRAM AL-ARABY NEWSPAPER CLAIMED THE GROUP
HAD CLOSE RELATIONS WITH HAMMAS AND ON 12/2 REPORTED A
MEETING BETWEEN A HAMMAS OFFICIAL AND DEFENDANT NASHAT AT
WHICH HE RECEIVED A LIST OF REQUESTED MATERIEL, INCLUDING
MACHINE GUNS AND ANTI-TANK ARTILLERY.

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THE PLOT THICKENS
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6. (C) AS THE GOVERNMENT BUILT ITS CASE AGAINST AL-WA'AD
MEMBERS, IT REVEALED THAT THE ORGANIZATION WAS DIVIDED INTO
CLUSTER CELLS. MEMBERS CAME FROM THE ELITES AND EDUCATED
CLASSES. FUNDS WERE COLLECTED FROM WORSHIPPERS AT TWO LARGE
MOSQUES AS WELL AS DONATIONS FROM BUSINESSMEN THEY RECRUITED.
NASHAT IBRAHIM REPORTEDLY PAID EXPENSES FOR MEMBERS TO
RECEIVE TRAINING AT CHECHEN RESISTANCE CAMPS, IN KASHMIR AND
AFGHANISTAN. A DAGASTANI EXPLOSIVES EXPERT, REGISTERED IN
THE MEDICAL FACULTY AT AL-AZHAR TRAINED MEMBERS IN CAIRO AND
ALEXANDRIA TO PLANT CAR BOMBS AND OTHER DEVICES. TWO
DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY CONFESSED TO BELONGING TO THE GAMA'AT
ISLAMIYYA SINCE THE MID-1990'S. THREE OF THE DEFENDANTS
ALLEGEDLY RECEIVED CIVIL AVIATION TRAINING IN THE U.S.:
MUHAMMAD HISHAM SAYF AL-DIN, HUSAM ZAKARIYA ABDUL SALAM, AND
MUHAMMAD MAHMUD NUR-AL-DIN.


7. (C) IN ITS THIRD SESSION ON DECEMBER 3, AT WHICH THE
MILITARY TRIBUNAL HEARD TESTIMONY FROM THE INVESTIGATING
OFFICER, WHO SAID THE GROUP HAD BEEN STUDYING THE MOVEMENT OF
THE PRESIDENT'S MOTORCADE, PREPARING TO BLOW IT UP. DEFENSE
ATTORNEYS REQUESTED THE PRESENCE OF THE MUFTI OF THE
REPUBLIC, PRESIDENT OF AL-AZHAR UNIVERSITY, AND DEAN OF THE
RELIGION FACULTY AS WITNESSES FOR THE DEFENSE. DEFENSE
ATTORNEYS CLAIMED THE COPY OF THE CASE WAS ILLEGIBLE AND
REQUESTED THE HEARING BE HALTED UNTIL A CLEAR COPY COULD BE
OBTAINED. THE PRESIDENT OF THE COURT DECIDED TO GIVE LAWYERS
ACCESS TO THE ORIGINAL OF THE CASE DOCUMENTS WHILE CONTINUING
THE CASE. THE ATTORNEY FOR EGYPTIAN-AMERICAN MUHAMMAD HISHAM
SAYF AL-DIN REQUESTED A MEDICAL EXAMINATION FOR EVIDENCE OF
TORTURE. OTHERS ASKED TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR DETERIORATING
HEALTH CONDITIONS. THE COURT ACCEPTED THE DEFENSE APPEALS
AND AGREED TO REQUEST AN AL-AZHAR COMMITTEE EXAMINE BOOKS
FOUND IN THE POSSESSION OF THE ACCUSED TO JUDGE THEIR
CONFORMITY WITH ISLAMIC LEGISLATION.


8. (C) CROSS EXAMINATION OF PROSECUTION WITNESSES BY DEFENSE
ATTORNEYS TOOK UP THE NEXT TWO (DECEMBER 4 AND 6) SESSIONS.
DURING THESE SESSIONS A LINK BETWEEN JORDANIAN ABU HAMZA AND
DEFENDANT MAGDI IDRIS BECAME CLEAR. THE FORMER SERVED AS THE
LINK BETWEEN AL-WA'AD CELLS AND TRAINING CAMPS ABROAD, MAKING
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEIR MOVEMENTS. DEFENSE ATTORNEYS CHARGED
THAT THEIR DEFENDANTS WERE TORTURED AND THEIR CONFESSIONS,
MADE UNDER DURESS, WERE INVALID. ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT
DAILY, AL-AHRAM (12/6) THE PROSECUTION INTRODUCED ONLY 21
PIECES OF EVIDENCE, SPECIFICALLY RELIGIOUS BOOKS AND DRAWINGS
FOR TARGET PRACTICE, WHILE THE INDICTMENT INDICATES 150
PIECES OF EVIDENCE, INCLUDING WEAPONS.

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SKEPTICS VIEW THE CASE
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9. (C) THE REFERRAL OF THIS CASE TO A MILITARY TRIBUNAL HAS
RAISED SUSPICIONS AND SOME CONCERNS IN EGYPT. THE ABSENCE OF
CONCRETE EVIDENCE AND CREDIBLE WEAPONS FURTHER WEAKENS THE
GOVERNMENT'S CASE AND HEIGHTENS SUSPICIONS AS TO WHETHER THIS
IS A SHOW TRIAL. SOME BELIEVE THAT INTRODUCING THE CASE IN
THE MILITARY TRIBUNAL WAS A POST-9/11 DEMONSTRATION OF
EGYPT'S CONCRETE RESOLVE TO DEAL WITH TERRORISM. DEFENSE
ATTORNEY HAFEZ ABU SAADA CLAIMED THAT THE CASE WOULD HAVE
ENDED IN ACQUITTAL IN AN ORDINARY COURT OF LAW. THIS, HE
SAID, IS LESS LIKELY TO HAPPEN IN A MILITARY PROCEEDING,
WHERE THE JUDGES ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO GOVERNMENT PRESSURE.


10. (C) PROMINENT ARAB JOURNALIST MOHAMED SALAH BELIEVES THAT
THE MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP DID INDEED VIOLATE THE LAW IN
SOLICITING AND ACCEPTING DONATIONS WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM
THE GOE, IN VIOLATION OF THE 1992 MILITARY ORDER TO THAT
EFFECT. WHAT PROVIDED THIS GROUP A RADICAL ISLAMIC TINT WAS
THE FACT THAT SOME OF THOSE INVOLVED HAD BEEN MEMBERS OF
RADICAL ISLAMIST GROUPS IN THE PAST.

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COMMENT
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11. (C) WHILE WE AGREE THAT THE EVIDENCE IS SCANT AND THE
MAKINGS OF A PUTSCH UNLIKELY SO FAR, THE GOVERNMENT IN OUR
VIEW, WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE GROUP'S POTENTIAL. THEY
WERE ALREADY BREAKING THE LAW BY COLLECTING AND SENDING LARGE
AMOUNTS OF CASH AND PROCURING WEAPONS TO BE SENT TO CHECHNYA
AND PALESTINIAN HAMMAS BOTH OF WHICH ARE EMOTIONAL AS WELL AS
POLITICAL CONCERNS FOR MANY ARAB MUSLIMS. THE ABSENCE OF
EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE MAY DEMONSTRATE THE DIFFICULTY OF
TRACING FUNDS, PARTICULARLY CASH CONTRIBUTIONS, IN THE
INTERNATIONAL ARENA. WHILE WE SEE NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS
GROUP AND AL-QAEDA, WE CANNOT RULE OUT THAT IT WAS AN
OFFSHOOT OF ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL GROUP. CERTAINLY, LOCAL
TERRORIST ELEMENTS, OR CELLS, RECEIVING MILITARY AND
EXPLOSIVES TRAINING ABROAD, COULD USE THAT EXPERTISE
INTERNALLY, AS THE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS. PRESIDENT MUBARAK'S
EFFORTS OVER THE PAST YEAR TO TURN THE FOCUS BACK TO PEACE AT
THE SAME TIME THE ISRAELIS ARE PERCEIVED AS BEING AT WAR WITH
THE PALESTINIANS, HAVE NOT MADE HIM MORE POPULAR. THAT IS
PARTICULARLY TRUE AMONG THOSE WHO FEEL A NEED TO HELP DEFEND
MUSLIMS AGAINST OCCUPATION FORCES, WHICH THEY VIEW AS
"LEGITIMATE JIHAD".


WELCH