(S) ARAB IRANIAN LEADER CALLS ON U.S. TO LAUNCH

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002266 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2016 TAGS: PREL IR KU SUBJECT: (S) ARAB IRANIAN LEADER CALLS ON U.S. TO LAUNCH AIR ATTACK TO FACILITATE ACTIVITIES OF ARAB-IRANIAN CELLS REF: KUWAIT 1622 Classified By: CDA Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (S) Abdullah Yaseen Asakera -- also known as Abu Sa'ad, Abu Hussein, and Abu Fatima -- contacted Post and requested a meeting to talk about the Ahwazi (Arab) community in Iran. (Note: The Arab-Iranians call themselves the Ahwazis, after Ahwaz, the Arabized name of the capital of the heavily Arab Iranian province of Khuzestan. End Note.) He claims to be the leader of the National Ahwazi Council and therefore qualified to speak for the Ahwazi community inside of Iran. ¶2. (S) Poloff, in a listening mode, met Asakera at his apartment in the Hawally neighborhood of Kuwait City on May 9 and May 17. After describing the travails of the Arab community in Iran (reftel),he went on to describe various military and decision-making structures that Iranian Arabs have organized. The National Ahwazi Council functions as the top decision-making body, a sort of clandestine parliament. The Higher Ahwazi Amirs Council is a consultative body comprising the leaders of the Ahwazi tribes. Finally the Revolutionary Leaders Council is the Ahwazis' military wing. Asakera said many Ahwazis are highly placed Iranian army officers who have access to weapons. Asakera also claimed that every day Ahwazi loyalists go back and forth between Kuwait and Iran carrying information. He did not recognize the names of any of the Ahwazis whom Post had met with in a separate meeting (reftel). ¶3. (S) Asakera said that the National Council had proposed a federal arrangement with the Iranian Government (GOI) in October 2005, which would guarantee the Arabs the right to run their schools and use the Arabic language. Abu Fatima (Asakera's nom de guerre when he takes official action in the name of the National Ahwazi Council) declared a one-month cease-fire to give the GOI time to consider the offer. He then extended the cease-fire for several more months. When no response was received, the Council formed a temporary government in preparation for a declaration of independence. The new state is to be called the United Arab Ahwazi Emirates. According to Asakera, the Council also resumed operations. Asakera produced an article from the March 3 Al-Seyassah (a Kuwaiti Arabic-language daily newspaper) on the execution of two Ahwazis for an October 2005 bombing that killed six and injured 100 others (the bombing was presumably before the cease-fire) as an example of the kind of "operations" the military wing was carrying out. He did not directly claim responsibility; rather, the people inside Khuzestan have the freedom to carry out operations as they see fit once he gives the green light. The Al-Seyassah article goes on to say that ethnic tensions have been escalating in Khuzestan. ¶4. (S) Asakera asked the United States to help the Ahwazis in their struggle. He said that "one word from Secretary Rice would start an earthquake in Ahwaz." Specifically he suggested that the U.S. attack from the air. He would then activate his military elements, who would take the ground. He went on to suggest that Iran could not count on its military forces, since the various non-Persian elements are not loyal to the State. POLOFF noted that Saddam Hussein tried to get the Arabs to rise up when he tried to take over the Ahwaz region in 1980. Asakera's response was that the Ahwazis were then still hopeful that the Iranian revolution would produce a good government, but that they now know the current regime is unacceptable. ¶5. (S) POLOFF thanked Asakera for taking the time to explain his concerns and activities, but limited further response to saying his message would be relayed to Washington. Bio Note -------------- ¶6. (C) Asakera was born in 1940 in Kuwait. He moved back to Iran soon after his birth and lived there until 1959, when he returned to Kuwait to live permanently. He has not been to Iran since 1976. He is sharp mentally, but frail physically. Abu Sa'ad is presumably his real "abu" name since it is written on the door of his apartment. Abu Hussein and Abu Fatima are the codenames he uses in conducting his Ahwazi affairs. Abu Fatima is his current preference. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s KUWAIT 00002266 002 OF 002 Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * TUELLER