Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI5062
2003-11-23 12:18:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
CLASSIFIED ANNEX TO UAE 2003 ANNUAL
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 03/20/2007 03:46:47 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: SECRET SIPDIS TELEGRAM November 23, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 5062 - PRIORITY) TAGS: PTER, PREL, PGOV Captions: None Subject: CLASSIFIED ANNEX TO UAE 2003 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ S E C R E T ABU DHABI 05062 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: POL INFO: AMB DCM P/M ECON RSO DISSEMINATION: POL CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: CDA:RAALBRIGHT DRAFTED: POL:JFMAYBURY CLEARED: CG:JD; P/M:SY; ECON:OJ; RSO:JR; LEGATT:BM VZCZCADI969 PP RUEHC RUEHZM DE RUEHAD #5062/01 3271218 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 231218Z NOV 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2480 INFO RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 005062
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE FOR S/CT-REAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/13
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TC
SUBJECT: CLASSIFIED ANNEX TO UAE 2003 ANNUAL
TERRORISM REPORT
REF: A) State 301352; B) Unclassified
Submission
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 005062
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE FOR S/CT-REAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/13
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TC
SUBJECT: CLASSIFIED ANNEX TO UAE 2003 ANNUAL
TERRORISM REPORT
REF: A) State 301352; B) Unclassified
Submission
1. (U) Classified by Richard A. Albright, Charg d'Affaires, a.i., Reasons
1.5 (B) and (D).
2. (SBU) Post provides additional responses to
complement the unclassified portion of the 2003
annual terrorism report. The information
included in this classified annex is considered
highly sensitive and its revelation could
negatively impact on future U.S.-UAE bilateral
relations.
3. (S/NF) This paragraph supplements the
unclassified contribution to section 2 (a) of ref
SIPDIS
B:
The UAE provided exceptional military cooperation
for the Global War on Terrorism, including
continued support for the deployment of sensitive
U.S. reconnaissance assets (five U-2s and two
Global Hawk UAVs) at Al Dhafra Air Base. The UAE
directly supported Operation Enduring Freedom
with an August 2003 deployment of a 130-man
Special Operations Task Force currently operating
out of Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.
Additionally, UAE and US forces are currently
planning for the spring 2004 deployment of a UAE
squadron of Seeker II UAVs to Bagram Air Base.
The UAE provided logistical support to Operation
Iraqi Freedom with UAE assets transporting an
entire Bulgarian infantry battalion to Kuwait as
part of the Polish multi-national division
deployment. Additionally, the UAE provided
timely humanitarian relief with the deployment of
an entire hospital in Baghdad during Phase III of
Operation of Iraqi Freedom. The UAE also
continued to be a key refueling center for
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi
Freedom. The northern emirate of Fujairah
maintained its status as a logistics hub for
USNAVCENT command operations in the Gulf of Oman
and Arabian Sea. Jebel Ali Port continued its
superb logistics support for U.S. naval
operations in the Gulf and Dubai continued to
serve as a primary port of call for U.S. sailors
in the Gulf. The UAE provided extensive
humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and
Pakistan and provided $50 million in assistance-
in-kind to the Afghan National Army.
4. (S/NF) This paragraph supplements the
unclassified contribution to section 2 (e) of ref
SIPDIS
B:
The FBI has occasional operations activity in the
UAE, either when there is a nexus to the UAE, or
an operational necessity. The FBI also tracks
funds between individuals and groups which are
believed to be connected to, or support, terror.
The FBI will be executing search and seizure
warrants in the UAE during the fall for
bank/business records and computers.
The UAE government provided thousands of pages of
bank records, including the unusual provision of
original documents for forensics and evidentiary
purposes and agreed to institutionalize a process
for the securing of certified true copies of
records that would assist in more easily
admitting them into a U.S. court.
The UAE continued to provide intelligence sharing
in Abu Dhabi and Dubai regarding the links
between the September 11, 2001 attacks and the
UAE. State Security, the UAE's FBI-CIA amalgam,
coordinated with ORCA on intelligence leads and
with the FBI in criminal investigations.
Following the attacks, the UAE government rounded
up approximately 160 individuals; the majority
has since been released. Post has learned that
the UAEG, at the highest levels, engaged in an
unprecedented internal review regarding the
extent of the conservative influence on the
young. A by-product of this review was the
sidelining or early retirement of a number of
officials at the Ministries of Education and
Justice, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, as well as at
UAE University. The Security Services continue
to monitor the local mosques and scrutinize the
work of Islamic charities. De facto Dubai ruler
and UAE Defense Minister Shaykh Muhammad Bin
Rashid Al-Maktoum continues to provide the USG
intelligence on the whereabouts of Al-Qaida and
Taliban leaders gleaned from his sources on the
ground in Afghanistan.
ALBRIGHT
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE FOR S/CT-REAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/13
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TC
SUBJECT: CLASSIFIED ANNEX TO UAE 2003 ANNUAL
TERRORISM REPORT
REF: A) State 301352; B) Unclassified
Submission
1. (U) Classified by Richard A. Albright, Charg d'Affaires, a.i., Reasons
1.5 (B) and (D).
2. (SBU) Post provides additional responses to
complement the unclassified portion of the 2003
annual terrorism report. The information
included in this classified annex is considered
highly sensitive and its revelation could
negatively impact on future U.S.-UAE bilateral
relations.
3. (S/NF) This paragraph supplements the
unclassified contribution to section 2 (a) of ref
SIPDIS
B:
The UAE provided exceptional military cooperation
for the Global War on Terrorism, including
continued support for the deployment of sensitive
U.S. reconnaissance assets (five U-2s and two
Global Hawk UAVs) at Al Dhafra Air Base. The UAE
directly supported Operation Enduring Freedom
with an August 2003 deployment of a 130-man
Special Operations Task Force currently operating
out of Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.
Additionally, UAE and US forces are currently
planning for the spring 2004 deployment of a UAE
squadron of Seeker II UAVs to Bagram Air Base.
The UAE provided logistical support to Operation
Iraqi Freedom with UAE assets transporting an
entire Bulgarian infantry battalion to Kuwait as
part of the Polish multi-national division
deployment. Additionally, the UAE provided
timely humanitarian relief with the deployment of
an entire hospital in Baghdad during Phase III of
Operation of Iraqi Freedom. The UAE also
continued to be a key refueling center for
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi
Freedom. The northern emirate of Fujairah
maintained its status as a logistics hub for
USNAVCENT command operations in the Gulf of Oman
and Arabian Sea. Jebel Ali Port continued its
superb logistics support for U.S. naval
operations in the Gulf and Dubai continued to
serve as a primary port of call for U.S. sailors
in the Gulf. The UAE provided extensive
humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and
Pakistan and provided $50 million in assistance-
in-kind to the Afghan National Army.
4. (S/NF) This paragraph supplements the
unclassified contribution to section 2 (e) of ref
SIPDIS
B:
The FBI has occasional operations activity in the
UAE, either when there is a nexus to the UAE, or
an operational necessity. The FBI also tracks
funds between individuals and groups which are
believed to be connected to, or support, terror.
The FBI will be executing search and seizure
warrants in the UAE during the fall for
bank/business records and computers.
The UAE government provided thousands of pages of
bank records, including the unusual provision of
original documents for forensics and evidentiary
purposes and agreed to institutionalize a process
for the securing of certified true copies of
records that would assist in more easily
admitting them into a U.S. court.
The UAE continued to provide intelligence sharing
in Abu Dhabi and Dubai regarding the links
between the September 11, 2001 attacks and the
UAE. State Security, the UAE's FBI-CIA amalgam,
coordinated with ORCA on intelligence leads and
with the FBI in criminal investigations.
Following the attacks, the UAE government rounded
up approximately 160 individuals; the majority
has since been released. Post has learned that
the UAEG, at the highest levels, engaged in an
unprecedented internal review regarding the
extent of the conservative influence on the
young. A by-product of this review was the
sidelining or early retirement of a number of
officials at the Ministries of Education and
Justice, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, as well as at
UAE University. The Security Services continue
to monitor the local mosques and scrutinize the
work of Islamic charities. De facto Dubai ruler
and UAE Defense Minister Shaykh Muhammad Bin
Rashid Al-Maktoum continues to provide the USG
intelligence on the whereabouts of Al-Qaida and
Taliban leaders gleaned from his sources on the
ground in Afghanistan.
ALBRIGHT