Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BEIRUT3001
2006-09-15 12:42:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Beirut
Cable title:
LEBANON: PURPORTED LAF DOCUMENTS SUGGEST COUP
how-toVZCZCXRO4433 OO RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK DE RUEHLB #3001 2581242 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 151242Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5616 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1157 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0286
S E C R E T BEIRUT 003001
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE NEA/ELA FOR ABERCROMBIE-WINSTANLEY/WILLIAMS/DONICK
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2026
TAGS: PTER MOPS LE SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: PURPORTED LAF DOCUMENTS SUGGEST COUP
D'ETAT; TERRORIST ATTACKS ON UNIFIL
Classified By: JEFFREY D. FELTMAN, AMBASSADOR. Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
S E C R E T BEIRUT 003001
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE NEA/ELA FOR ABERCROMBIE-WINSTANLEY/WILLIAMS/DONICK
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2026
TAGS: PTER MOPS LE SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: PURPORTED LAF DOCUMENTS SUGGEST COUP
D'ETAT; TERRORIST ATTACKS ON UNIFIL
Classified By: JEFFREY D. FELTMAN, AMBASSADOR. Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S/NF) On September 14, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt sent
two documents to Ambassador Feltman, claiming that the source
of the documents came from within the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Both documents are dated 12 September 2006.
2. (C) Following is an informal Embassy translation of the
documents:
Document 1:
German intermediaries from the German Christian Democratic
Party spoke of a political-security coup d'etat in Beirut --
given the absence of Lebanese army brigades which have
deployed to the South -- in favor of the allies of Damascus,
similar to that which occurred on 06 February 1984
(Translator's note: When Shi'a and Druze militiamen succeeded
in driving the LAF out of much of Beirut and the Shouf
Mountains). Specifically, the allies of Damascus will create
a constitutional vacuum through the resignation of Amal and
Hizballah cabinet ministers as well as President Lahoud, in
order to force the Siniora government to resign. If this
fails, then they will take to the streets with strikes and
protests with the aim of clashing with the security forces
and sending Beirut into chaos (lit. "a dark tunnel"). The
allies of Damascus have obtained a large amount of a variety
of weapons in order to undertake an operation to surround the
Parliament building and the homes of MPs from the
parliamentary majority.
Document 2:
Information from inside the "Ain el-Helwah" camp indicates
that Saad Osama Bin Laden (son of Najwa),entered Lebanese
territory using an Iranian passport under an assumed name in
July. He entered "Ain el-Helwa" camp and met with the
"'Asbat al-Ansar" group headed by Haytham al-Saadi (Abu
Tariq) along with Jamal Suleyman and a number of al-Qaeda
people. It was decided at the meeting to instruct and direct
their elements to undertake terrorist operations against all
of UNIFIL-2, especially the Italians and the French. Saad
carried with him a large amount of dollars to spend on the
operations. He then left Lebanon and returned to Tehran via
Syria.
(asterisk on document) This information about al-Qaeda and
'Asbat al-Ansar terrorist operations against UNIFIL reveals
that Sunnis are responsible for these, while Hizballah and
Iran remain outside of this game.
End informal Embassy translation of the documents
FELTMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NOFORN
STATE NEA/ELA FOR ABERCROMBIE-WINSTANLEY/WILLIAMS/DONICK
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2026
TAGS: PTER MOPS LE SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: PURPORTED LAF DOCUMENTS SUGGEST COUP
D'ETAT; TERRORIST ATTACKS ON UNIFIL
Classified By: JEFFREY D. FELTMAN, AMBASSADOR. Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S/NF) On September 14, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt sent
two documents to Ambassador Feltman, claiming that the source
of the documents came from within the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Both documents are dated 12 September 2006.
2. (C) Following is an informal Embassy translation of the
documents:
Document 1:
German intermediaries from the German Christian Democratic
Party spoke of a political-security coup d'etat in Beirut --
given the absence of Lebanese army brigades which have
deployed to the South -- in favor of the allies of Damascus,
similar to that which occurred on 06 February 1984
(Translator's note: When Shi'a and Druze militiamen succeeded
in driving the LAF out of much of Beirut and the Shouf
Mountains). Specifically, the allies of Damascus will create
a constitutional vacuum through the resignation of Amal and
Hizballah cabinet ministers as well as President Lahoud, in
order to force the Siniora government to resign. If this
fails, then they will take to the streets with strikes and
protests with the aim of clashing with the security forces
and sending Beirut into chaos (lit. "a dark tunnel"). The
allies of Damascus have obtained a large amount of a variety
of weapons in order to undertake an operation to surround the
Parliament building and the homes of MPs from the
parliamentary majority.
Document 2:
Information from inside the "Ain el-Helwah" camp indicates
that Saad Osama Bin Laden (son of Najwa),entered Lebanese
territory using an Iranian passport under an assumed name in
July. He entered "Ain el-Helwa" camp and met with the
"'Asbat al-Ansar" group headed by Haytham al-Saadi (Abu
Tariq) along with Jamal Suleyman and a number of al-Qaeda
people. It was decided at the meeting to instruct and direct
their elements to undertake terrorist operations against all
of UNIFIL-2, especially the Italians and the French. Saad
carried with him a large amount of dollars to spend on the
operations. He then left Lebanon and returned to Tehran via
Syria.
(asterisk on document) This information about al-Qaeda and
'Asbat al-Ansar terrorist operations against UNIFIL reveals
that Sunnis are responsible for these, while Hizballah and
Iran remain outside of this game.
End informal Embassy translation of the documents
FELTMAN