TERRORIST FINANCE: REMOVAL OF NASIR ABAS FROM

S E C R E T JAKARTA 010395 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP, S/CT, DS/IP/EAP DOJ FOR CTS THORNTON, AAG SWARTZ FBI FOR ETTIU/SSA ROTH TREASURY FOR OFAC JPHILIPP NSC FOR THINNEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2016 TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS KPAO ID SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: REMOVAL OF NASIR ABAS FROM TERRORIST FINANCE LISTS REF: A. JAKARTA 07397 ¶B. JAKARTA 2527 Classified By: Ambassador B. Lynn Pascoe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Embassy Jakarta wishes to reaffirm its ref a stance in support of the delisting of former JI-leader Nasir Abas from the USG Executive Order 13224 and UNSCR 1267 terrorist finance designation lists. This position reflects our consideration of recent additional intelligence reporting on Nasir Abas, and Australian Counter Terrorism (CT) Coordinator Mike Smith,s views in support of the delisting during his August 10 meeting with Ambassador Pascoe. ¶2. (S) We have reviewed and support the Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control,s (OFAC) draft reverse evidentiary and terms of removal letter. They state the case accurately and are well measured. Embassy supports these documents. We understand that an alternative terms of removal letter is under consideration adding as a condition of Nasir Abas, delisting that he continue to cooperate with U.S. law enforcement authorities. Embassy Jakarta strongly opposes the approach in the second letter. Its contents would likely become public knowledge and compromise our ability to work with Abas in the future. Opposition groups and the terrorists themselves could also use the letter as ammunition to embarrass the Indonesian Government (GOI), support their claims that the U.S. war on terrorism is part of a larger conspiracy to discredit Islam, and undermine our overall CT cooperation with the GOI. Nasir Abas has worked side-by-side with the Indonesian police for several years now, he continues to cooperate with our own law enforcement officers, and he has indicated that he is willing to continue doing so in the future. The threat of his return to the terrorist finance designation lists should be sufficient enough to ensure that he continues to cooperate with us. PASCOE