(S) TERRORIST FINANCING: REQUEST

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 002409 SIPDIS NOFORN STATE FOR EB/ESC/ESP (GGLASS),NEA/ARP (PHEFFERNAN),NEA/RA (GGRAPPO),S/CT (FOX) TREASURY FOR OGC - DAUFHAUSER, DAS FOR TERRORISM AND VIOLENT CRIMES (JZARATE),AND TERRORIST FINANCING TASK FORCE TREASURY PASS OFAC FOR NEWCOMB NSC FOR GARY PETERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/20/13 TAGS: EFIN PTER ETTC ECON TC SUBJECT: (S) TERRORIST FINANCING: REQUEST FOR RELEASABLE INTEL PACKAGE ON HUMAN APPEAL INTERNATIONAL REF: STATE 133205 ¶1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE RICHARD ALBRIGHT FOR REASONS 1.5 (B,D). ¶2. (S/NF) Because of the sensitivities associated with Human Appeal International (HAI),we have requested an appointment with de facto Foreign Minister Shaykh Hamdan Bin Zayid to deliver reftel points. Hamdan, our primary leadership-level contact on terrorist financing issues, is currently traveling outside the UAE. ¶3. (S/NF) However, in anticipation of his likely response to our demarche, we would appreciate receiving (via ORCA channels if necessary) a releasable intel package which we may provide to the UAEG in support of our request that they crack down on Human Appeal. The information on Ayoub Ali and Boudella Al- Haj is specific and compelling, but we have no/no direct supporting information with regard to HAI's funding of Hamas. If we want the UAEG to block HAI funding of Hamas, it would be helpful to give them evidence that such funding has occurred in the past and is continuing, including the specific entities/accounts belonging to Hamas into which HAI funds are flowing. Similarly, details with regard to the Al-Rashid Trust's continuing operations in the UAE would be most helpful. We note that the UAE Central Bank has already ordered financial institutions here -- at our request -- to freeze any accounts associated with the Al-Rashid Trust. ¶4. (S/NF) When we went to the UAE to request their partnership with us in closing Al- Barakat operations here we were able to submit to them a lengthy intel package outlining the reasons why we believed that organization was involved in terrorist financing. A similar package on HAI will demonstrate that we are motivated by solid fact and that we are serious about having the UAEG take appropriate action to block HAI funding of terrorist groups. A strong intel package should give the Emirati authorities the compelling information they will need to intiate their own investigation and take the necessary steps to ensure HAI is not funding -- wittingly or unwittingly -- terrorist groups. Albright