UTAH AG SEEKS ALLY IN B.C. AGAINST FDLS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VANCOUVER 001558

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT G/TIP FOR WENDY OWEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC PHUM KWMN PGOV PREL CA
SUBJECT: UTAH AG SEEKS ALLY IN B.C. AGAINST FDLS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED


1. (U ) Summary: On December 8, 2005, Utah Attorney General
Mark Shurtleff met in Vancouver with British Columbia Attorney
General Wally Oppal. Shurtleff traveled here to discuss the
possibility of mutual cooperation in matters related to the
Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). Shurtleff
later met with the Consul General and selected Consulate staff
to offer us a readout on his meeting. The attorneys general
appear to have laid a firm basis for future cooperation.
Shurtleff had a full schedule in Vancouver, appearing on talk
radio and meeting with an influential women's civic
organization, the editorial board of The Vancouver Sun and with
other local contacts. His presence drew out the influential
excommunicated FDLS bishop Winston Blackmore, who staged a
successful media campaign of his own. End Summary.


2. (U) Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff told us that his
discussion with Wally Oppal focused on crimes against women and
children. He said he presented Oppal with a large book his
office had produced on legal techniques for dealing with crimes
thought to be associated with the FDLS such as sexual assault on
minors, trafficking in women, and spousal abuse. Shurtleff
characterized prosecutions against FDLS members as extremely
difficult to obtain due to the reluctance of witnesses to
cooperate with police. He thought Oppal was willing to
prosecute such crimes in British Columbia if witnesses would
step forward.


3. (U) Shurtleff also wants Oppal's cooperation in the search
for and possible apprehension of Warren Jeffs, leader of the
FDLS. Jeffs has been parts unknown since Arizona issued
warrants for his arrest on criminal charges dealing with
assisting in sexual assaults on minors through arranging
"celestial marriages" of girls in their early teens. Jeffs is
also the subject of civil warrants in Utah in a case brought by
his nephew for sodomy and rape. Shurtleff said Oppal had agreed
to look into formalizing a mutual legal assistance agreement
with the State of Utah that would allow enforcement in British
Columbia of certain types of orders of Utah courts. Execution
of Utah arrest warrants and even subpoena powers were also
discussed in their meeting.


4. (SBU) When asked, Shurtleff gave us a detailed breakdown of
what he hopes to obtain by his actions in relation to the FDLS.
He said he hopes "the United Effort Plan (UEP) will become a
nullity." The UEP is the FDLS trust fund, estimated to be worth
$130 million, which has been placed in court-ordered
receivership by Utah courts. Shurtleff hopes the trust fund
will devolve back to FDLS members through grants of land and
money by the court-appointed trustee. Shurtleff also hopes to
obtain Jeffs' arrest and conviction. The Utah AG concluded,
however, that polygamy will continue to exist.


5. (SBU) Other areas of interest to Shurtleff include whether
FDLS members can be found guilty of trafficking in people,
whether child labor laws are being breached by the cult, and
whether any of the businesses associated with Bountiful are
hiring illegal aliens. He said Oppal had concluded after
investigation that no one in the Bountiful commune was guilty of
welfare fraud.


6. (U) The Consul General and Consular Section Chief pointed
out that USG interest in the FLDS issue is based on our concern
that the Bountiful community under a desperate Jeffs might take
an apocalyptic route similar to Jonestown, that US citizens in
the community are routinely crossing the Canada/US border
undocumented and uninspected, that trafficking in people may be
occurring, and that the operation of the commune appears to be
producing disadvantaged US citizens (people with almost no
formal education and incapable of functioning in a free
society).


7. (U) Winston Blackmore came to Vancouver and succeeded in
gaining much of the spotlight. He sat in on the Utah AG's press
conference, having obtained press credentials as a reporter for
the website he operates. He and four of his wives insinuated
themselves into a meeting the University Women had organized
with Shurtleff. The flamboyant bishop also gave his own press
conference while in town, denying all allegations of child abuse
at Bountiful. His wives dutifully proclaimed their
satisfaction with polygamy and claimed no knowledge of child
abuse. None of Blackmore's 102 children attended the events.


8. (U) According to local press reports when asked by a
reporter whether he would encourage any of his flock to come
forward with information regarding child abuse, Blackmore said
"I certainly wouldn't encourage them not to go forward." Media
coverage of the day's events was extensive, with Blackmore
getting more ink than Shurtleff in The Province. The Vancouver
Sun covered the story on its front page.


9. (U) Comment: Shurtleff hopes to gain in Wally Oppal an
active partner against the FLDS for two reasons: the Utah AG
needs BC support to enforce Utah's seizure of the UEP assets in
Canada and there are credible reports that Warren Jeffs has
visited British Columbia several times this year, collecting
funds and continuing to join FDLS members in "celestial
weddings." Whether Oppal will cooperate with Shurtleff or will
take any independent action against FLDS in British Columbia
remains to be seen.
LUKENS