TERRORIST FINANCE: TIMING OF ZINDANI DESIGNATION

1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 4.



2. (S/NF) Post understands that the German Constitutional
Court has indicated it will issue a decision to extradite
Sheikh Mohammed Ali Hassan al-Moayed and his colleague
Mohammed Mohsen Yahya pending the answers to questions posed
to the USG. However, the timing of the announcement of the
decision remains unknown. Best estimates of German officials
and Amembassy officers in Sanaa are that Sheikh al-Moayed
could be extradited to the United States within several weeks.



3. (S/NF) From conversations with the Department, Post
further understands that declassification procedures for the
statement of case to designate Sheikh Abdul Magid Zindani
(refs a and b) are near completion. We have been told that
we can expect a pre-notification cable to designate Zindani
by the end of August.



4. (S/NF) Comment/Action request: Post fully supports the
designation of Zindani, and has pre-briefed the issue and
received initial indications of ROYG support (ref b). The
al-Moayed case, in contrast, remains extremely sensitive in
Yemen and presents significant political costs for the ROYG
(refs c, d and e). Sheikh Zindani does not enjoy the same
level of general public support as al-Moayed. However,
should Zindani's designation be announced at or near the time
of al-Moayed's extradition, we anticipate a heightened
negative public reaction due to a perceived linking of the
two cases. This reaction would be exacerbated if the Moayed
extradition decision came before the Zindani designation.
The government's need to manage this reaction could lead to
decreased political will to fully support and implement
Zindani's designation. Therefore, Post requests that the
Department consider completing Zindani's designation as
rapidly as possible -- immediately if feasible -- to distance
it from the expected al-Moayad decision and maximize ROYG
support. End Comment/Action request.
MISENHEIMER