HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISOR TOWNSEND MEETS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 000718

SIPDIS

NSC FOR PATRICK HEFFERNAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2015
TAGS: IR IZ PREL PTER SA TC
SUBJECT: HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISOR TOWNSEND MEETS WITH
DUABI CROWN PRINCE SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHID

Classified By: (U) Classified by Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: In a February 7 meeting with Dubai Crown
Prince (and UAE Defense Minister) Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
(MBR),White House Homeland Security Advisor Frances Townsend
expressed appreciation for the UAE's contributions to our
counterterrorism efforts. Noting that it was a hopeful time
for the Israel/Palestinian issue, Townsend warned against the
danger posed by Hizballah, both in the region and from
Hizballah "sleeper cells" in the U.S." MBR vowed to assist
against Hizballah whether in Lebanon or Syria. Separately,
Townsend said that is was important that the USG find a way
to be more welcoming to our friends and allies even as we
become better at keeping out our enemies. End Summary


2. (C) Homeland Security Advisor Frances Townsend,
accompanied by Ambassador, EB A/S Wayne, and CG Dubai, opened
her February 7 meeting with Dubai Crown Prince (and UAE
MinDef) Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed (MBR) by noting that she
had quoted him in a speech she gave at the Saudi
Counterterrorism Conference she had just attended. MBR's
comment (at the Arab Strategy Forum in Dubai) that regional
leaders needed to do more that sit around "arguing about the
color of the tiger's stripes" had captured the essence of her
own "deeds more than words" message perfectly. MBR responded
that "from day one" the UAE had been a partner in the fight
against terrorism and money laundering; "we are 100 percent
with you." Townsend thanked MBR for the tremendous
cooperation Dubai,s State Security Organization (SSO) had
given DHS and US intelligence services.

Fighting Terrorism with Words?
--------------


3. (C) MBR said that when it came to prevent terrorism in
Dubai, "our approach is to keep people occupied and busy; to
allow them to live their lives." Dubai had people from many
nations, all trying to work and derive benefit from their
presence in Dubai. "Our people are happy, and the people who
work here are happy -- they can all do or say anything they
want as long as they don't harm someone else." If there were
those who were unhappy and they formed groups that formed a
threat, "we go to them, talk to them, so they don't disturb
our guests." Inevitably they were "half-educated," since
anyone educated would know that "Islam doesn't say that,"
(i.e. espouse violence). MBR said that in some cases he would
have the notables in a particular locale assemble such people
together, and he would go have dinner with them, urging them
to "go back to the Koran, and read it." In this way
potential violence was "defused." In the case of a man
arrested for plotting to blow up the Burj al-Arab hotel, MBR
had gone to see him after he spent three days in custody.
After speaking to him he had ordered him to "go home" to his
family, which was well known. Not only had the man ceased to
be a threat, he had actually provided the name of an
accomplice, boasted MBR.


4. (C) Acknowledging that Dubai and the UAE had so far been
"very fortunate," Townsend urged MBR to recognize that "you
are vulnerable. It would be a mistake to "take peace" from
the fact that, so far, nothing had happened. It was
important to take steps now -- as was being done in the
Critical Infrastructure Initiative -- to reduce the
vulnerability before something actually happened. MBR agreed
that it was important "not to take the easier way" by waiting
until something happened and then reacting to it by "taking
revenge." That would only lead to an escalating cycle of
violence.


5. (C) Later in the meeting, SSO Director Al-Qamzi noted that
there was a problem with those who remained "psychologically
committed" to commit terrorism even after being spoken to.
"After a period of time, you have to release them, and there
is a risk, a danger." The problem, he explained, was that
these people were "brainwashed" into believing that
committing terrorism would send them straight to heaven.
There were intercepts of one terrorist telling another, en
route to Mosul, that he was "lucky because he would get to
heaven before" the other. Al-Qamzi reported that a network of
Iraq insurgent fundraisers that the Dubai SSO had discovered
"couldn't be prosecuted" (presumably due to lack of evidence)
but that their visas had been canceled and they had been
deported. Other members of the network, because they were
"inactive," remained in the UAE for now but would not have
their visas renewed (and would thus be forced to depart the
country at some future time).

Israel/Palestinians/Hizballah/Iran
--------------


6. (C) Townsend said it was possible that we are currently at
a "moment of hope" for the President's vision for
Israel/Palestine, a vision of two states living side by side
in peace and security. But there was a danger that, as we
moved forward, the people with the most to lose -- Hizballah
and Iran -- would try to destabilize things. Anything your
service can to do to help our services in this regard would
be appreciated. MBR responded that "we can help," against
Hizballah, whether in Lebanon or Syria, and that in fact the
SSO had in the past provided information related to Iranian
assistance to Hizballah.


7. (C) MBR argued that the most important thing in terms of
controlling Hizballah would be for Israel to give land to the
Palestinians -- if they had land, and a state, there would be
no excuse for Hizballah to fight, and the entire world would
then be united against them. Townsend responded that
Hizballah was getting USD 40 million a year from Iran, as
well as arms and training; the world should be "united in
criticism" against that now. "We want you to pressure Iran,"
MBR responded, "but please, please don't just go bomb them,
because they would hit back, at your interests and ours."
Townsend assured him that it was "our clear intention to deal
with Iran diplomatically," and that we wanted the community
of nations to join us in getting them to become a member of
the community of nations. SSO Director Al-Qamzi observed
that "while we have good trade relations with Iran, their WMD
program is not in our interests, so we use lists -- MTCR,
IAEA, UN and more -- to stop WMD related shipments to Iran.8
Recently Dubai had closed down 11 of 15 companies affiliated
with Iran's WMD program; the remaining four would also be
closed down as soon as a case against them could be developed.

Sleeper Cells
--------------


8. (C) MBR said he was worried about information from the
British and the French about Al-Qaeda "sleeper cells" that
might be present in Europe. Townsend said that the U.S.
shared these concerns. There were supporters of Hizballah in
the U.S. who were raising money and sending it back. They
weren't carrying out violent operations, but that was the
definition of a sleeper cell. We were working to undermine
them.

Facilitating Travel
--------------


9. (C) Townsend told MBR that she and Secretary Rice were
concerned that the focus on safeguards in the 3-1/2 years
after 9/11 had led to a situation in which the coming
generation in the region would not benefit from the same
education and family ties to the U.S. that their parents had
experienced. There was going to be a review of US security
procedures, and an attempt to refine them to better keep out
those we didn't want, while being more welcoming to our
friends and allies from the region. This was an issue that
was important to President Bush personally. "As a good friend
and ally, what do you think we should consider," she asked
MBR.


10. (C) Pointing to his advisors around the room (Sheikh
Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum of Emirates Airlines; Sultan bin
Sulayim of Dubai Ports, Customs, and Free Zone; and Mohammed
Al-Qamzi of SSO),MBR noted that "most of my team studied in
the U.S., but they are not going back as much as they used
to." Still, he said, his "only advice" was for the U.S. to
"recognize its friends from its enemies" and that "we should
feel from you that you appreciate our work with you." As for
himself, he said, "I go every year to America because of my
horses; nothing will stop me." MBR said he was hearing that
procedures at U.S. airports were getting more simple and
routine, and Sultan bin Sulayem confirmed this. (As the
meeting concluded, Sheikh Ahmed told CG that he had been
pulled aside and questioned by airport authorities during his
most recent trip; when asked to share his experience with
Townsend, however, he quickly demurred, indicating that it
wouldn't be appropriate to complain to a high-level guest.)

Atmospherics
--------------


11. (C) The meeting with MBR was formal and a bit stilted at
first, but MBR later relaxed and began sharing stories and
anecdotes with Townsend. At one point, he asked Sultan bin
Sulayim to tell about an experience he had in the United
States in the late 1970,s as a way to illustrate how people
can get sucked into extremism. While studying in the U.S.,
Sulayim met a group of Muslim students at a conference in
Louisiana. One of the men convinced Sulayim to join his
group on a cross-country trip. They stayed overnight in
mosques along their route, but the hosts kept waking everyone
up all night long to talk about Islam. Upon arrival in
Cleveland, they tried to convince Sulayim to go to Canada and
continue studying Islam with them, but Sulayim refused.
Sulayim inferred that extremists use such tactics ) tiring
people to the point of exhaustion so that they can be
brainwashed with religious material ) to recruit
unsuspecting young Muslims. MBR kept interrupting to add
details to the story, adding his own spin to the tale. While
still grappling with how to go about countering the threat
terrorism poses to busy, bustling Dubai, MBR has assembled a
small, trusted team around him, including two key advisors,
Sultan bin Sulayim and, increasingly, SSD Director Mohammed
Al-Qamzi.

(U) This cable has been cleared by Homeland Security Advisor
Townsend and Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business
Affairs Wayne.
SISON