KIDNAPPING OF UAE DEPUTY CHARGE IN BAGHDAD

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 002042 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2016 TAGS: PREL PINS PTER MARR IZ AE SUBJECT: KIDNAPPING OF UAE DEPUTY CHARGE IN BAGHDAD REF: A. EMBASSY TO OPERATIONS CENTER TELCON 05/17/06 ¶B. EMBASSY TO UAE/QATAR DESK OFFICER TELCON 05/17/0 ¶C. S/CT-NSC EMAIL ZARATE-M.THOMPSON-SISON 05/16/06 Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) The Deputy Charge d'Affaires at the UAE Embassy in Baghdad, Naji al-Naimi, was reportedly kidnapped by gunmen May 16. One of his bodyguards, a Sudanese, was reportedly injured in the incident. This morning, Ambassador reached out to Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed (who is in Brussels on EU-GCC business) and Yousef al-Otaiba, International Affairs Director for Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed to express USG concern and willingness to assist. Ambassador also conveyed to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed al-Sha'ali and al-Otaiba this morning our concern for the safe recovery of the diplomat; our willingness to cooperate and assist fully in that effort; and our policy of no concessions, but using all elements of statecraft to gain his safe recovery, up to and including a rescue if intelligence reaches an actionable level (ref C). Al-Otaiba responded by saying that he believed the UAEG,s policy on ransom would track closely with ours. Al-Sha'ali was very appreciative of USG concern and also took on board the no concessions, no ransom considerations. Ambassador will accompany Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs John Hillen, DOD SIPDIS Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Policy Ryan Henry, and NSC Senior Director for Near East and North Africa Michael Doran to a meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed this evening and will reiterate the points and offer of assistance. ¶2. (C) CNN broadcast this news item shortly after midnight local time (1600 EDT),saying only that the UAE's diplomatic representative had been kidnapped while visiting the UAE cultural center in Baghdad. Polchief immediately contacted Yousef al-Otaiba, International Affairs Director for the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, and Sultan al-Rumaithy, Director of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, who confirmed that the kidnap victim was Deputy Charge al-Naimi. As of this writing, there has been no claim of responsibility. ¶3. (S/NF) At approximately 2200 local time (1400 EDT),State Security Directorate (SSD) contacted SIMO to report the kidnapping. According to SSD, al-Naimi worked in the UAE Embassy's consular section and had the title of second secretary. He was reportedly visiting a friend at the time SIPDIS of the incident. ¶4. (S) UAE Armed Forces General Headquarters called Embassy Abu Dhabi DATT at approximately 2230 local time (1430 EDT) May 16 to inform him that UAE Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Lt. General Mohammed Hamed Thani al-Rumaithy, had ordered a CN-235 aircraft to fly to Baghdad to transport the UAE's Charge d'Affaires, Ali al-Ka'abi. DATT contacted the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) at al-Udaid Air Base in Qatar to request their assistance in allowing the UAE aircraft to land in Baghdad. That flight was scheduled to depart at 1100 local time (0300 EDT). ¶5. (U) Dubai-based al-Arabiya TV channel has been giving the incident wide coverage, with the diplomat's mother appearing on TV this morning. In an interview with English daily "Gulf News," FM Sheikh Abdullah said, "This is painful. We also understand that the situation in Iraq is unstable. This makes us more concerned about Iraq and the necessity to unite efforts at the Arab and international levels to restore stability and help Iraq return to the Arab and international fold." Meanwhile, an al-Qaida-affiliate forum, www.alhesbah.org, has a post about the UAE diplomat, including several comments calling for his death. SISON