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