DEMARCHE DELIVERED: TERRORIST FINANCE -- FADHLI

S E C R E T KUWAIT 000294 SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS DNELSON, S/CT TKUSHNER, NEA/ELA DBARON STATE FOR NEA/ARPI TWILLIAMS, IO/PSC JSCHWEITZER, NSC FOR JKEMERSON TREASURY FOR JZARATE AND OFAC RWERNER E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2015 TAGS: ETTC EFIN PTER PREL CVIS SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: TERRORIST FINANCE -- FADHLI AND DARWISH DESIGNATION REF: A. STATE 9956 ¶B. STATE 9823 ¶C. KUWAIT 258 Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (c) ¶1. (S) Ambassador delivered ref A demarche to MFA Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah on January 17. Al-Jarallah assured the Ambassador that Kuwait is ready to cooperate with the U.S., saying that the GOK recognized that people like Fadhli pose a threat to Kuwaitis as well as Americans, and that they will "destroy everything in Kuwait if they can." Al-Jarallah did not indicate whether Kuwait would cosponsor the U.N. designation. ¶2. (S) Ambassador also informed National Security Bureau President Shaykh Sabah Al-Khaled on January 17 of Fadhli's pending designation (ref C). Shaykh Sabah Al-Khaled and his staff, although supportive of the designation, asked about the designation's implications. Specifically, they inquired whether Fadhli's designation would obligate Kuwait to detain him. Shaykh Sabah Al-Khaled asked for any solid evidence that the U.S. might have against Fadhli so that Kuwait could build a case against him. ¶3. (S) Ambassador also notified the Minister of Interior during a January 18 meeting. Shaykh Nawaf's response was that the GOK had Fadhli under very close surveillance. He noted that the courts had not been able to maintain Fadhli's previous convictions and said that more evidence would be required to make a case that sticks. ¶4. (S) Comment: Given the history of GOK dealings with Fadhli and current efforts to co-opt him, we strongly doubt Kuwait will cosponsor the designation. ********************************************* *** Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website ********************************************* *** LEBARON