DISCUSSING ZAWAHIRI-ZARQAWI LETTER WITH HIGH

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 002116

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2015
TAGS: PTER KISL IZ AG
SUBJECT: DISCUSSING ZAWAHIRI-ZARQAWI LETTER WITH HIGH
ISLAMIC COUNCIL

REF: STATE 188931

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Marc Sievers, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (C) Charge took advantage of an October 15 meeting on
other issues with the President of the High Islamic Council,
Cheikh Bouamrane, to provide him a copy of the Arabic text,
downloaded from the DNI website, of Ayman al-Zawahiri's
letter to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Charge stressed that the
letter provided documentary evidence of Al-Qaida's plans to
turn Iraq into a base for overthrowing moderate regimes in
the region and establishing a "Caliphate" based on their
perverted interpretation of Islam. Charge added that
Zawahiri's comments about how to adjust terrorist tactics in
Iraq in order to win over Islamic public opinion made it all
the more urgent for moderate Islamic leaders to oppose
publicly Al-Qaida's twisted interpretation of their religion.


2. (C) Bouamrane, who is known for his opposition to the
Coalition intervention and presence in Iraq, thanked Charge
for the Zawahiri letter, noting that he had heard about it
from the Arabic media but was interested in reading the
original message himself. While not accepting Charge's
analysis in advance of reading the letter, Bouamrane said
that if Zawahiri's advocacy of terrorism and political
ambitions were as Charge described, the High Islamic Council
would condemn them publicly. He stressed, however, his view
that discussions of the correct interpretation of the concept
of jihad and Islamic principles should be conducted "among
Muslims."
SIEVERS