(S) STATUS OF REQUESTS ON FORMER IRAQI REGIME

S E C R E T SANAA 000054 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2016 TAGS: PREL PTER YM COUNTER TERRORISM TERFIN SUBJECT: (S) STATUS OF REQUESTS ON FORMER IRAQI REGIME ELEMENT UMAR SABAWI REF: A. 05 STATE 174132 ¶B. 05 SANAA 2791 ¶C. 05 SANAA 2803 ¶D. 05 SANAA 3046 ¶E. 05 STATE 221825 ¶F. 05 SANAA 3442 Classified By: AMBASSADOR THOMAS C. KRAJESKI, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND ( D). ¶1. (S) During a January 2 office call, Ambassador asked FonMin Abubakr al-Qirbi for an update on USG requests to detain and freeze the assets of Former Iraqi Regime Element Umar Sabawi. Qirbi said he had no new information, and believed that Sabawi was "no longer in Yemen." The FonMin did not appear to have been informed of discussions about Sabawi between DCM and Deputy Foreign Minister Mohideen al-Dhabi, and between Ambassador and MinInt Rashad al-Alimi, both of whom claimed Sabawi was in Yemen and that more information would be shared on him with the Embassy "soon." Thus far, no information has been passed, and the ROYG appears disinterested in pursuing the Sabawi matter further. ¶2. (S) A summary of Embassy approaches to the ROYG regarding Sabawi follows: -- September 18, 2005: Ambassador informs FonMin of ref A request to detain Sabawi in anticipation of an extradition request from the Iraqi Interim Government (ref B). -- September 21, 2005: Ambassador delivers same points to the Deputy FonMin, who promises to pass along the information to President Saleh (ref C). -- October 17, 2005: Ambassador asks MinInt (ref D) if there is any progress in fulfilling the detention request. Alimi says he has "certain information" about Sabawi's impending international travel plans, and has asked the MFA to pass the Sabawi "file" to Embassy. (This did not occur.) -- November 21, 2005: DCM presents substance of ref E demarche to the Deputy FonMin, asking for the freezing of Sabawi's assets. -- December 10, 2005: DCM asks the Deputy FonMin for an update. Al-Dhabi states that the ROYG has determined that Sabawi has "about 10,000 dollars" in Yemen, but declines to say if the government will freeze the money, and says "other agencies" are working on preventing Sabawi from sending and receiving funds. The Deputy FonMin adds that the Iraqi embassy in Sanaa "has not even raised Sabawi" with the ROYG (ref F). -- January 2, 2006: Ambassador's meeting with FonMin Qirbi. Krajeski