TERRORIST FINANCE: ENGAGING TEH GOI ON TF ADN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002527 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP, S/CT, EB/ESC/TFS TREASURY FOR JPHILLIP E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2016 TAGS: EFIN ETTC PREL AS ID SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: ENGAGING TEH GOI ON TF ADN PLANNED UN DESIGNATION OF A.B. BA'ASYIR REF: A. A) STATE 22847 ¶B. B) JAKARTA 252 ¶C. C) STATE 315 Classified By: ECONOMIC OFFICER TOBIAS GLUCKSMAN. REASON: 1.4 (b) AND ( d). ¶1. (S) Summary: Government of Indonesia (GOI) officials raised concerns about the effect of additional UN 1267 designations of Indonesia's on the country's international reputation. Generally speaking, though, they did not voice specific initial opposition to a U.S. and Australian plan to move forward in late March with the designation of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir (ABB) and three other Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members. GOI officials supported proposals for a UN 1267 practitioner workshop and the possibility of cash courier training. End Summary. ¶2. (S) Ambassador Pascoe on February 22 delivered ref A talking points to Department of Foreign Affairs (Deplu) Director General for Europe American and European Affairsand the Americas Eddy S. Hariyadhi. Also, at a February 13 meeting with Presidential Aide Dino Djalal, the Ambassador raised the USG's decision to propose the UN 1267 designation ofAbu Bakar Ba'asyir (ABB) and three other JI members. Separately, Embassy Officers on February 21 delivered ref A working level talking points and provided JI-4 identifier information and statements of case, as well as separate asset lead information, to Deplu Directorate of International Security and Disarmament Aris Munandar, and to Coordinating Ministry for Political, Law and Security Affairs Counter Terrorism Coordinating Desk Head Ansyaad Mbai. ¶3. (S) Hariyadhi told the Ambassador that Indonesia respects the USG's right to propose names for UN 1267 designation. However, he expressed concern that the addition of new Indonesian names to the UN 1267 list would have a negative impact on Indonesia's international reputation, despite the country's successes in combating terrorism. The Ambassador responded that the international community recognized and appreciated Indonesia's CT efforts, particularly the over 200 arrests and 100 convictions of terrorists. The Ambassador added that it was best to designate ABB prior to his scheduled release from prison in June, when media attention would be heightened. The Australian Ambassador told us later in the day that he had received a similar reaction to his parallel demarche: the Indonesians will not co-designate their citizens, but recognize the right of others to do so. ¶4. (S) Munandar expressed views similar to Hariyadhi's. He added that, while Indonesia has never proposed or co-designated a name for UN 1267 designation, it does not stand in the way of efforts by other countries to do so. Munandar thanked us for the asset lead information and said he would see that it reached appropriate police CT investigators. He expressed initial support for our proposal for a joint UN 1267 practitioner workshop -- possibly with support from the Australians and others, to improve Indonesia's implementation of its UN 1267 obligations -- but he said he would have to discuss the idea further with other agencies. He noted that his name matched exactly that of another Indonesian currently designated on the UN 1267 list. As a result, he personally has had difficulty wiring money to his family from overseas and in obtaining a British visa. He added that Czech Republic authorities also mistakenly jailed for three months an Indonesian student who also shares the same name. To avoid such cases of mistaken identity, Munandar said UN designations should include, whenever possible, photos, physical descriptions and biodata, such as fingerprints. ¶5. (S) Mbai said he supported the proposed JI-4 designations, including those of ABB and Anshori. He told us that while Anshori had denounced terrorist attacks, he had recently refused police requests to meet, even though there is no open case against him. During our visit, Mbai contacted Indonesian National Police General Bekto Suprapto, current head of the national CT unit Detachment 88, who confirmed Mbai's support for the four designations. On a related matter, Mbai urged us to remove Nasir Abas from the UN 1267 list, as he has renounced terrorism, collaborated closely with police investigators for approximately three years, and recently published a book exposing the inner workings of JI. Mbai said he would support a UN 1267 practitioner workshop, as well as any possible cash courier training. He too thanked us for the asset leads and said he JAKARTA 00002527 002 OF 002 would convey them immediately to the police. ¶6. (S) Comment: We are pleased by the GOI's initial reaction to the news that we intend to proceed with proposing the designation of ABB and three other JI members. We will follow up with Deplu on the proposed workshop, which should be a good first step in nurturing greater GOI support for and participation in the UN 1267 process. PASCOE