AMBASSADOR DELIVERS ZINDANI INFORMATION

S E C R E T SANAA 003105

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2015
TAGS: PREL CVIS EFIN ETTC PTER KSEP KVPR YM COUNTER TERRORISM TERFIN
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DELIVERS ZINDANI INFORMATION

REF: A. STATE 193448

B. SANAA 2806

Classified By: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski for reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (S) Summary: On October 24, Ambassador delivered ref A
information on de-listing terrorist financier Sheikh Abd
al-Majid al-Zindani to Deputy Foreign Minister Mohiedeen
Al-Dhabi. Dhabi thanked Ambassador for responding to the
ROYG's previous request for assistance (ref B),but once
again asked for specific information on Zindani's support to
Al-Qaeda. End Summary.


2. (S) Ambassador passed instructions on how Zindani
himself could request the Office of Foreign Assets Control
and the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee to reconsider his
designation as a terrorist financier. He stressed, however,
that the USG possessed credible evidence of Zindani's support
to terrorists and expressed disappointment that the ROYG had
yet to freeze his assets or block his travel.


3. (S) Dhabi responded that Zindani would not leave the
country as he was "too afraid to travel." In the middle of
the meeting, Thabi called the passport office to confirm that
Zindani no longer possessed a valid passport. He believes
Zindani last traveled abroad on a diplomatic passport three
years ago, when he accompanied the President on a visit to
Saudi Arabia in his capacity as a presidential advisor.
Regardless of Zindani's fears, Ambassador emphasized the
importance of the ROYG fulfilling its UN obligations and
formally blocking his travel. Zindani's designation as a
terrorist financier is primarily based on his support for
Al-Qaeda, said Ambassador, and the lack of action against him
contradicts the ROYG's own campaign against the
organization's activities in Yemen.


4. (S) Dhabi reiterated the ROYG's request for specific
information on Zindani's support for Al-Qaeda, adding that
his government was most interested in evidence of support
given within the last five years. New information would be
helpful, he continued, to allay concerns within the Yemeni
government that Zindani's designation stemmed from his
support of Osama bin Laden during the Soviet occupation of
Afghanistan.
Krajeski