SCENESETTER FOR FBI DIRECTOR MUELLER'S VISIT TO EGYPT

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 008938



SIPDIS



FOR THE DIRECTOR FROM THE AMBASSADOR



E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2015

TAGS: PTER, KCRM, PREL, EG, OVIP, Visits

SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR FBI DIRECTOR MUELLER'S VISIT TO

EGYPT



Classified by Ambassador Francis Ricciardone for reasons 1.4

(b) and (d).



Director Mueller,



1. (C) Thank you for including Cairo in your travel to the

Middle East. Your visit presents an opportunity to review

and upgrade our law enforcement/intelligence cooperation with

the Egyptians. The CIA already has a strong and growing

relationship with the Egyptian Intelligence Service (EGIS).

We would like the FBI to establish a similarly robust and

productive partnership with the State Security Investigative

Service. The Ministry does not yet recognize the benefit for

their side of enhanced ties with the FBI. But leaders like

Omar Soliman and especially President Mubarak, with whom we

hope you will be able to meet, have the vision and influence

to overcome these reservations. On our side, we should be

ready with concrete proposals to kick start new levels of

practical cooperation. Exchange of forensic and biometric

data and associated upgrades of Egypt's capabilities in this

field could provide a good beginning.



2. (C) The return of the specter of terrorism in Egypt in

late 2004, following seven years of safety is seen here as a

wake-up call to the Egyptian security forces. Interior

Minister El Adly, and State Security Director Hassan, -- you

will meet both -- have now seen three major terrorist

incidents on their watch:



-- The bombing of three resorts in the Sinai, October 2004

-- The bombing at a major Cairo tourist market, April 2005

-- The Sharm el-Sheikh bombing, July 2005;



3. (C) El Adly may lose his job over the Sharm bombings as

well as the mis-management of the current Parliamentary

elections. As a result, you may find the Egyptians more

receptive to a U.S. initiative to upgrade our law-enforcement

cooperation.



4. (C) One specific area of cooperation that I understand is

under consideration is sharing of fingerprint and other

biometric data on suspected terrorists and other criminals.

This could involve training and equipment upgrades for

Egyptian personnel. This is a terrific initiative. In

addition, you should urge State Security Director Hassan to

bring a high level delegation to Washington to visit FBI HQ

and the Quantico training facilities early in 2006. Once he

sees what the FBI can offer and establishes some personal

contact, he will be more forthcoming with intelligence

cooperation on their side. I hope you will also consider

offering to continue and ideally expand training

opportunities for Egyptian personnel at the FBI Academy.





5. (C) Your arrival in Egypt coincides with the end of a

month-long series of parliamentary elections, in which the

outlawed but tolerated Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has made

substantial gains. The elections have been conducted in

three rounds. The final run-offs will be held on

December 7. The ruling NDP will retain the super majority it

needs to control the legislative agenda, but with the MB

holding as much as 20 percent of the seats, atmospherics and

tone of debate will probably change dramatically.



6. (C) The Egyptians have a long history of threatening us

with the MB bogeyman. Your counterparts may try to suggest

that the President,s insistence on greater democracy in

Egypt is somehow responsible for the MB,s electoral success.

You should push back that, on the contrary, the MB,s rise

signals the need for greater democracy and transparency in

government. The images of intimidation and fraud that have

emerged from the recent elections favor the extremists both

we and the Egyptian government oppose. The best way to

counter narrow-minded Islamist politics is to open the

system. The FBI could serve as a resource and partner ) if

indeed you are willing -- in professionalizing the Egyptian

security services and modernizing their investigative

techniques. This would enhance the credibility of the

security apparatus and remove an arrow from the Islamists,

quiver.



7. (C) At the end of the day, we believe you can best pitch

your visit as a serious effort to enhance our law enforcement

cooperation. Both sides are absolutely committed to

defeating violent extremists, and both sides can take more

tangible steps toward meeting this goal.





RICCIARDONE