Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04TEGUCIGALPA1467
2004-07-01 00:19:00
SECRET
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Cable title:  

HONDURAN SECURITY MINISTER ALLEGES SENIOR AL-QAIDA

Tags:  PTER ASEC KVPR PINR KJUS KCRM PGOV CVIS HO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 001467 

SIPDIS

FBI FOR SIOC AND ITOS/TGU
STATE FOR S/CT, INR/IAA, NEA, AND CA
STATE FOR INR/TIPOFF
STATE FOR DA/IP/WHA AND DS/ICI/ITA
STATE FOR WHA/PPC AND WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2029
TAGS: PTER ASEC KVPR PINR KJUS KCRM PGOV CVIS HO
SUBJECT: HONDURAN SECURITY MINISTER ALLEGES SENIOR AL-QAIDA
OPERATIVE VISTED HONDURAS

REF: A. PANAMA 1372


B. PANAMA 1515

C. TEGUCIGALPA 1046

D. 06/09/04 RSO TEGUCIGALPA-PANAMA LEGATT-DS/IP/WHA
EMAIL

Classified By: Political Counselor Francisco Palmieri;
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 001467

SIPDIS

FBI FOR SIOC AND ITOS/TGU
STATE FOR S/CT, INR/IAA, NEA, AND CA
STATE FOR INR/TIPOFF
STATE FOR DA/IP/WHA AND DS/ICI/ITA
STATE FOR WHA/PPC AND WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2029
TAGS: PTER ASEC KVPR PINR KJUS KCRM PGOV CVIS HO
SUBJECT: HONDURAN SECURITY MINISTER ALLEGES SENIOR AL-QAIDA
OPERATIVE VISTED HONDURAS

REF: A. PANAMA 1372


B. PANAMA 1515

C. TEGUCIGALPA 1046

D. 06/09/04 RSO TEGUCIGALPA-PANAMA LEGATT-DS/IP/WHA
EMAIL

Classified By: Political Counselor Francisco Palmieri;
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S) Summary: On June 29, Honduran Minister of Public
Security (MOPS) Oscar Alvarez told the Honduran press senior
Saudi Al-Qaida operative, Adnan Gulshair El-Shukrijumah, had
been spotted in Honduras but has since left the country.
MOPS Alvarez alleged that El-Shukrijumah was seen in an
internet cafe before heading to Panama. These reports are
uncorroborated and premature, although Post believes there
may exist a possibility that El-Shukrijumah recently visited
Honduras. In conjunction with Honduran authorities, RSO has
been tracking the internet cafe lead and a separate possible
sighting, in an effort to confirm El-Shukrijumah had, in
fact, been to Honduras. However, MOPS Alvarez's public
comments, partly based on a Panamanian newspaper report he
had recently read, will complicate this effort. End Summary


2. (S) On June 29, Honduran Minister of Public Security
(MOPS) Oscar Alvarez told the Honduran press that senior
Saudi Al-Qaida operative, Adnan Gulshair El-Shukrijumah had
been spotted in Honduras but has since left the country.
MOPS Alvarez alleged that El-Shukrijumah was cited in an
internet cafe before heading to Panama, where he allegedly
might be working on a plan to attack the Canal. Prior to
these allegations, El-Shukrijumah's presence in Panama had
been highly suspected (ref A and B).


3. (S) RSO has been tracking two separate possible sightings
(ref D) of El-Shukrijumah in Honduras. The first report
concerned two American TDYers who had a possible sighting of
El-Shukrijumah on June 2, 2004. The reported sighting

occurred at approximately 12:15 pm when both TDY personnel
were eating lunch at a Subway sandwich shop located a few
blocks from the Embassy. While eating, they noticed two men
enter the shop. Both men appeared to be of Arab extraction.
The men had entered together and appeared to be friends.
According to the TDY personnel, while standing in the
sandwich line both men noticed the American sitting in the
nearby booth eating. At this point, both subjects started
whispering amongst themselves and looking at the Americans.
The older subject seemed very nervous and impatient. The TDY
personnel noted that both subjects were carrying laptop bags
strapped over their shoulders. The older subject's bag had a
Microsoft emblem, plus he was wearing a fanny pack in front.
(Note: These TDY personnel were both technicians who work
with computers and other related equipment. End Note.)


4. (S) The TDY personnel stated that neither subject appeared
to be fluent in Spanish when ordering their food, appearing
to struggle a little with the language. As the Americans
were leaving the sandwich shop, they noticed the older
subject was paying for his food with a grayish silver-colored
visa card and also appeared to have some form of Honduran ID
in his other hand. The TDYers came back to the Embassy and
reported to their supervisor that they had seen two Arab
males acting strangely in the Subway sandwich shop. At the
time they reported this contact, neither was aware of the
look-out for El-Shukrijumah. The two then reported to the
RSO after they saw the photo of El-Shukrijumah in the local
paper. They both believed that the younger subject had a
strong resemblance to El-Shukrijumah.


5. (S) The second incident allegedly occurred at an
unidentified internet cafe in Tegucigalpa soon after the FBI
poster identifying El-Shukrijumah as a wanted terrorist
suspect was released. This is the report that MOPS Alvarez
shared with the Honduras press. While it should not be
dismissed out of hand due to the nature of the incident, RSO
has not/not been able to confirm or corroborate any of the
details of this alleged incident. RSO notes, however, that
the physical description of the internet cafe sighting of the
two suspects resembles the description of the individuals
seen at the Subway shop by the American TDYers

6. (S) Comment: MOPS Alvarez's remarks regarding
El-Shukrijumah's presence in Honduras are premature and
unsubstantiated. He acknowledged later that his comments
that El-Shukrijumah was en route to Panama and might be
planning to attack the Canal, were based on a newspaper
article he read last weekend while visiting Panama. While it
is possible El-Shukrijumah visited Honduras recently, Post
can not/not confirm this. RSO is continuing to investigate
and Post will report via septel any further confirmed
evidence of El-Shukrijumah's alleged presence. MOPS
Alvarez's public comments, however, were unconstructive and
could possibly hamper this effort. End Comment.

Palmer