TERRORISM: TRACKING EXPANSION OF AL-MANAR TV TO

S E C R E T BRASILIA 000049 SIPDIS NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2016 TAGS: ASEC PTER ANET SUBJECT: TERRORISM: TRACKING EXPANSION OF AL-MANAR TV TO NEW MARKETS - BRAZIL REF: STATE 216191 Classified By: Economic Counselor Bruce Williamson, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). (S/NF) Post has found no/no open source information, other than an Internet listing (www.lyngsat.com),confirming reftel information that the Amazonas Satellite is carrying Al-Manar television. The lyngsat.com listing was in contrast to a December 29, 2005 statement on the website of a group calling itself the "Coalition Against Terrorist Media" (www.defenddemocracy.org) claiming that Amazonas satellite owner Hispamar had dropped Al-Manar after an appeal from the coalition. Due to technical limitations, post's Public Affairs Section was unable to tune in to the Amazonas satellite directly to confirm whether it is re-broadcasting Al-Manar's signal. Post did not find any listings for Al-Manar television in publicly available programming schedules of major cable television operators in Sao Paulo or Foz do Iguacu. CHICOLA