TERRORIST FINANCING: POST IN-HOUSE VIEWS ON

S E C R E T AMMAN 008403

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2009
TAGS: KTFN PTER EFIN ECON ETTC
SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCING: POST IN-HOUSE VIEWS ON
DESIGNATION OF ISLAMIC AFRICAN RELIEF AGENCY (IARA)

REF: SECSTATE 216187

Classified By: A/DCM CHRISTOPHER HENZEL FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D


1. (S/NF) Post has no record of any activity of the IARA
Jordan office; nor does it have any record of any activity by
the IARA in Jordan. RSO sent FSN Investigator to verify the
location of the IARA office in Amman given in reftel; FSNI
found no IARA office at the given location nor in the rest of
the Akarco Building. FSNI instead found at the given
location the offices of the Al-Huda International Trading
Company, previously designated by OFAC as a front company for
the former Iraqi regime.


2. (S/NF) COMMENT: Based on Post's past experience with the
GOJ on terrorism finance issues, we believe it unlikely that
the GOJ would object to the designation of the IARA.
However, due to considerations of domestic public opinion,
the GOJ would likely prefer that the USG stress the links
between the IARA and Al-Qaeda affiliate organizations (rather
than the link between the IARA and Hamas) in our announcement
of any domestic designation of the IARA and any subsequent
submission of the IARA to the UN 1267 sanctions committee.
HALE