TERRORIST FINANCE: BUISIR PRENOTIFICATION

S E C R E T DUBLIN 000409

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS (M. BRUNO),S/CT (T. KUSHNER),
EUR/UBI, IO/OSC (B. FITZGERALD)
TREASURY FOR (J. ZARATE),OFAC DIRECTOR (R. WERNER)
STATE PASS TO NSC (K. EMERSON)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2015
TAGS: PTER KTFN EFIN ECON ETTC EAID TC
SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: BUISIR PRENOTIFICATION

REF: SECSTATE 61751

Classified By: DCM Jonathon Benton for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (S) On April 7, Maurice Biggar, acting director of the
DFA's UN office, and Stephan Dawson, deputy director of the
Middle East office, briefed POL/ECON counselor on the hurdles
the GOI would have to jump in order to co-sponsor submission
of Buisir to the UN 1267 Committee. Because Buisir is an
Irish citizen, the GOI's lawyers would need to offer a legal
opinion on whether the GOI could co-sponsor, and might need
to appeal to the Attorney General. The process could take
several weeks "or months." The GOI fears that co-sponsoring
the submission would leave them open to lawsuits, and would
generate strong political criticism. They believe parliament
would excoriate them for "sneakily" using international
mechanisms to get at an Irish citizen rather than building a
criminal case against Buisir or using the recently signed
anti-terrorism law to ask Irish judges to designate him.


2. (S) POL/ECON counselor asked them to set aside legal
questions and consider the political advantages of
co-sponsoring, given their own concerns about Buisir and
their strong commitment to the UN. Their candid assessment
was that the USG could secure designation far more quickly
without Irish help. POL/ECON counselor urged them to
re-consider, and asked as well that they issue a supportive
statement if the UN 1267 Committee designates Buisir. Biggar
and Dawson agreed to raise these issues with the Political
Director and Foreign Minister when they return April 8. (FM,
political director, and UN office director have been in New
York since Monday, preparing for their role in UN reform.)
KENNY