UAE CONDEMNS MURDER OF PAUL JOHNSON, PRAISES

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002006 SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARP AND S/CT E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2009 TAGS: PREL PTER SA TC SUBJECT: UAE CONDEMNS MURDER OF PAUL JOHNSON, PRAISES SAUDI SECURITY FORCES Ref: State 135081 Classified by Richard A. Albright, Charge d'Affaires, a.i., reasons 1. 5 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) UAE President Shaykh Zayed and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Shaykh Khalifa have sent messages of condolence to President Bush and to the family of Paul Johnson in the wake of Johnson's murder by terrorists. The UAE leadership also sent cables to the Saudi leadership praising the Saudi security forces for fighting the terrorist groups in the Kingdom. In both cases, the UAE was the first GCC state to speak out, Information Ministry senior advisor Ibrahim Al-Abed told Polchief on June 19. The UAE had also been the first to condemn last month's killing of Nicholas Berg in Iraq. ¶2. (C) By the time post received reftel instructions, the UAE's official news agency Web site was carrying a report that President Zayed had sent a cable of condolence to President Bush expressing deep sorrow at Johnson's death at the hands of "soul-less criminals." Shaykh Zayed's message also reiterated the UAE's firm stand against terrorism. The same report said that Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Shaykh Khalifa had sent cables of condolence to President Bush and to Johnson's family. Nonetheless, Polchief shared reftel points June 19 with MFA Director of European and American Affairs Ahmed Al-Muqarrab. ¶3. (C) In its statements condemning acts of terror, Al-Abed said that the UAEG has avoided using the word Islam. "These attacks have nothing to do with Islam. People should realize this is a criminal act. Full stop." ¶4. (U) The official news agency also reported June 19 that Shaykh Zayed and Shaykh Khalifa had sent cables to the Saudi leadership praising the Saudi security forces for their actions against terrorist groups. Shaykh Zayed's message said that the security forces' achievements have restored confidence in Saudi Arabia's ability "to uproot this criminal phenomenon, as well as put an end to it." ¶5. (C) Comment: The UAEG has not needed USG prompting to strongly and publicly condemn terrorist attacks on groups and individuals. As Al-Abed told Polchief, the UAE shaykhs want the world to know that they are taking a zero tolerance stand against terrorists. ALBRIGHT