GUANTANAMO DETAINEES: SPANISH POLICE SEEK ACCESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000583

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2014
TAGS: PTER KAWC PHUM PINR SP
SUBJECT: GUANTANAMO DETAINEES: SPANISH POLICE SEEK ACCESS

Classified By: Charge J. Robert Manzanares per 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) The Spanish National Police (SNP) have officially
requested via the Embassy that the USG authorize Spanish
police access to interview two Guantanamo detainees. SNP
seeks to develop information regarding the two detainees'
training, recruitment and deployment into Afghanistan. The
two detainees are:

Omar Amer Deghayes, ISN US9LY-00727-DP (Libyan)
Jamil Abdul Latif Elbanna, ISN US9JO-00905-DP (Palestinian)


2. (C) Judge Baltasar Garzon is leading the investigation
into the al Qaeda cell arrested in Spain in November 2001.
Garzon believes that cell leader Eddin Barakat Yarkas, aka
Abu Dahdah, recruited these two individuals in Spain.
Garzon has stressed to us that he faces tight deadlines for
the prosecution of Barakat Yarkas and his cell members.
Garzon has told us he must have all evidence in final form to
present to the prosecutor no later than April 2004. For
this reason, SNP investigators and Garzon stress that getting
access to the above-named detainees as soon as possible is
critical.


3. (SBU) On February 13, the Spanish Council of Ministers
approved Judge Garzon's request to seek the extradition to
Spain from Guantanamo of Deghayes and Elbanna (and a third
detainee, Lahcen Ikassrien, a Moroccan). This decision took
place on the same day that the USG transferred a Spanish
national Guantanamo detainee to Spanish custody for
prosecution, under Garzon's direction, as a member of the al
Qaeda cell and a recruit of Barakat Yarkas.
MANZANARES