TERRORISM FINANCE: POST VETTING

S E C R E T KABUL 000152 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SA/FO AMBASSADOR QUINN, SA/CT, SA/A, EB LAWRENCE GREENWOOD NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFA-A, CG CJTF-76 E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2015 TAGS: EFIN KTFN PREL PTER ETTC AF SUBJECT: TERRORISM FINANCE: POST VETTING REF: STATE 232398 Classified By: A/DCM ANGUS SIMMONS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (S) POST DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT DESIGNATING HIG AS A PARTY WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ELIMINATING SOURCES OF FUNDING TO GULBUDDIN HEKMATYAR, BUT COULD HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE ONGOING RECONCILIATION PROCESS. AS MENTIONED IN REF A OF REFTEL, THE CURRENT STATUS OF ANY TIES BETWEEN HEKMATYAR AND HIS FORMER LOYALISTS - 25 TO 30 OF WHOM ARE NOW MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AFFILIATED WITH THE NEW, OFFICIALLY REGISTERED HIZB-I-ISLAMI PARTY AND WHO HAVE PUBLICLY SEVERED ALL TIES WITH THEIR FORMER LEADER - ARE IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO DETERMINE WITH ANY DEGREE OF ACCURACY. THE FACT THAT THEY ARE IN PARLIAMENT AND ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS, HOWEVER, IS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT WHICH WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE. A UN LISTING OF HIG COULD ATTRACT SIGNIFICANT PUBLICITY AND MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PRESIDENT KARZAI AND THE GOA'S RECONCILIATION PROGRAM TO BRING FORMER HIG ACTIVISTS INTO THE FOLD. LAST MONTH ALONE, 17 MEMBERS OF HIG TURNED THEMSELVES INTO THE PTS (AFGHAN RECONCILIATION PROGRAM) IN THE PROVINCE OF PAKTIA. THERE ARE OTHER INDICATIONS THAT THE PTS PROGRAM IS GATHERING MOMENTUM, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO FORMER HIG LOYALISTS. A LISTING OF HIG COULD COMPROMISE THESE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS. ¶2. (S) SINCE GULBUDDIN HEKMATYAR IS EFFECTIVELY AN INTERNATIONAL PARIAH, POST QUESTIONS HOW MANY LEGITIMATE ENTITIES, WHOSE ACTIONS WOULD BE IMPACTED BY UN SANCTIONS, ARE ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING FUNDING TO HIS ORGANIZATION. NORLAND