(C) TERRORIST FINANCE: KUWAIT SEEKS EXPLANATION OF

1. (C) On 23 February Embassy received a diplomatic note from
the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) noting that
Citibank New York had blocked a $105,862 transfer from the
Lajnat al-Daawa al-Islamiyya (LDI) (Islamic Call Committee)
to the account of "Mercy International." (Post informal
translation of note follows at para 3). The note does not
protest the freeze, but merely requests an explanation of the
action "at a time when the sanctions committee established
under resolution 1267 has not made a final decision
regarding" the LDI freeze. The note explains that the
request comes after an inquiry received by the MFA from the
Social Reform Society, the parent organization of LDI.



2. (C) On 24 February EconChief responded with a letter to
the MFA explaining that Executive Order 13224 authorizes the
Secretary of the Treasury to block the assets of any

SIPDIS
organization or person determined "to assist in, sponsor, or
provide financial, material, or technological support for, or
financial or other services to or in support of" terrorist
acts, and noting that the USG had added LDI to its list of
such organizations on January 9, 2003. The letter also notes
that Post understands the technical hold placed on the LDI
designation at the UN has apparently been lifted.



3. (C) Following is post's informal translation of the
February 23 note:

(Begin text)

(Complimentary Opening) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
would like to point out that it has received an official
letter from the Social Reform Society containing a
notification from Kuwait Finance House regarding the freezing
by Citibank the amount of $105,862, transferred from the
account of the Society's LDI to the account of Mercy
International. According to Citibank's notification to
Kuwait Finance House, the amount was frozen based on
instructions from the concerned American authorities.

The State of Kuwait, in its are to contribute in all the
efforts exerted to combat terrorism and its financing, and in
protecting the reputation of Kuwait's foreign charitable
works, requests information on the reasons with led the
concerned American authorities to adopt this decision at the
time when the sanctions committee established under (UNSC)
resolution 1267 has not made a final decision regarding
freezing the funds of LDI, to enable the Ministry to inform
the concerned Kuwaiti authorities to take the necessary steps
regarding this matter.

(Complimentary Close)

(End Text)
JONES