Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KABUL5837
2006-12-13 11:22:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:  

DESIGNATING HIG: POST VIEWS

Tags:  EFIN ETTC AF KTFN PTER PREL 
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VZCZCXYZ0015
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBUL #5837 3471122
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 131122Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4864
S E C R E T KABUL 005837 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO SCA/RA, SCA/A, S/CT, EB/ESC AND INL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2016
TAGS: EFIN ETTC AF KTFN PTER PREL
SUBJECT: DESIGNATING HIG: POST VIEWS

REF: STATE 188854 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald Neumann for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

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SUMMARY
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S E C R E T KABUL 005837

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO SCA/RA, SCA/A, S/CT, EB/ESC AND INL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2016
TAGS: EFIN ETTC AF KTFN PTER PREL
SUBJECT: DESIGNATING HIG: POST VIEWS

REF: STATE 188854 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald Neumann for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (S/NF) Reftel asks for Post's internal assessment of the
impact of designating Hizb-I Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) as a
foreign terrorist organization. Post has no objections to
designating HIG in the UN 1267 Committee and the OFAC under
E.O. 13224, provided that the designation distinguishes
between the legal entity Hizb-i-Islami and HIG and their
respective members. The Hizb-i-Islami is a legally
registered party in Afghanistan, with about 25 MPs that
accepts the Constitution of Afghanistan as well as the GOA as
Afghanistan's legally constituted government. In addition,
any designation of HIG should be designed to allow HIG
members to reconcile under the Afghan PTS national
reconcilation program without risk of designation
post-reconciliation.


2. (S/NF) Distinguishing HIG from Hizb-i-Islami: Post
understands that in the past, the U.S. has designated both a
group and the members of the group individually, illustrating
that effective action against the individual does not flow
directly from the designation of the group. We believe that
the designation of HIG as a group should follow this
precedent so that individuals who are suspected members of
HIG can be vetted for designation on a case by case basis in
order to determine if they are active HIG members.


3. (S/NF) Impact and Effect on Designation and Recocilation:
Afghans in general think the HIG is worse than the Taliban.
HIG members are often viewed as war criminals, anti-West, too
extreme, and willing to start blood feuds to advance their
interests. One possible downside to designation is that it
could legitimize the group by putting it on the UN list,
especially among extremists in Iran, Pakistan, and Africa.
Other possible ramifications include revenge attacks in
villages against government or village officials seen as
close to the GOA or the West. No one at Post believes
designation will negatively affect efforts to reconcile HIG
members through PTS. We have seen that designation of the
Taliban has in no way inhibited reconciliation of its
adherents.


4. (S/NF) Embassy requests the opportunity to vet the draft
designation language to ensure that designation does not
extend to the legal Hizb-i-Islami political party and that
those HIG members who wish to reconcile are not penalized or
prevented from joining the PTS program.


5. (S/NS) This cable was cleared by Post's Terrorist Finance
Coordinating Committee.
NEUMANN