WALK-IN CLAIMS LOCAL PASSPORT VENDOR HELPED FOUR

S E C R E T COLOMBO 000510

SIPDIS

NOFORN
TERREP

DS FOR DS/IP/ITA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1
TAGS: ASEC PTER
SUBJECT: WALK-IN CLAIMS LOCAL PASSPORT VENDOR HELPED FOUR
SRI LANKAN MUSLIMS TRAVEL TO AFGHANISTAN

REF: 03 COLOMBO 1810

Classified By: Alex Moore, Regional Security Officer, Reason: Intellige
nce Sources/Methods, Declassify: Exempt, Reason: 1.6 (X1)

This cable is a retransmission of Colombo 00491 due to upgrade of decla
ssification exemption. Please destroy all copies of Colombo 0491.


1. (S/NF) On March 18, a confidential source of undetermined
reliability but known to RSO and ORCA New Delhi contacted the
RSO to pass new information and advise he will be relocating
to Abu Dhabi for work. Source is identified as Mohamed
Ilyars Mohamed HUNU, DPOB 12/15/1972 - Sri Lanka, National
Identity Number 723501008V, SL PPT# L0130138 (protect).


2. (S/NF) Source advised that the local passport vendor he
had reported on in the past, Al-Hagg Illyas Faleel (see
reftel),had recently helped four Sri Lankan Muslims travel
to Afghanistan. When pressed for additional details, such as
the names of the travelers, their purpose, or their routes of
travel, Source was unable to elaborate but advised he would
attempt to get additional information. Source offered that
he believed the individuals departed Sri Lanka on/about March

12. In addition, Source advised Al-Hagg's father, who is a
former member of Parliament, is currently a candidate for
Parliament in the April 2 election as candidate number 11.


3. (S/NF) Source also mentioned an unnamed "crazy man" who is
a radical Muslim who talks of building a large explosive,
possibly targeting a tourist bus in Sri Lanka. Source
speculated that the unidentified man has a thick "catalog" of
weapons but does not at this time have the financing or means
to fulfill his threats. RSO asked the Source to obtain
additional details on the man in question.


4. (S/NF) Finally, Source advised that he would soon be
departing Sri Lanka to take new employment in Abu Dhabi.
Source will be traveling to Abu Dhabi on March 22 via EY 202.
Source will be employed in Abu Dhabi as a security officer
at the Beach Rotana Hotel (971-2-644-3000). RSO told the
Source that his relocation to Abu Dhabi would be reported to
appropriate authorities (ORCA New Delhi),and he may be
contacted by U.S. Embassy personnel at some time in the
future. Source provided current phone numbers in Colombo as
034-222-7851 and 034-2222787.


5. (S/NF) RSO Comment: Source is known to RSO and ORCA New
Delhi, but the reliability of his information has yet to be
proven. RSO and ORCA have evaluated that the potential value
of Source's information lies in his knowledge of possible
U.S. document forgeries within the Sri Lankan Muslim
community. As reported in reftel, Source presented a good
quality forged Sri Lankan passport and National Identity
card, each containing his photograph and assumed identity.
The information regarding Source's relocation is passed to
the Department in the event that ORCA wants to continue
communication with him while he is in Abu Dhabi. Regarding
Al-Hagg, RSO reported the document vendor's alleged
activities (which includes forging U.S. passports) to the Sri
Lankan Directorate of Internal Intelligence in October 2003
but no action has been taken to date. RSO will schedule a
meeting next week with the police CID and attempt to energize
a police investigation into Al-Hagg's activities in an effort
to disrupt his illegal operation. RSO will also relay
information on Al-Hagg's father as a candidate for
Parliament. Colombo point of contact is RSO Alex Moore
(94-11-244-8007).
LUNSTEAD