Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06USUNNEWYORK1235
2006-06-19 20:17:00
SECRET
USUN New York
Cable title:
1267 COMMITTEE: BELGIAN DE-LISTING REQUEST
how-toVZCZCXYZ0027 OO RUEHWEB DE RUCNDT #1235 1702017 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 192017Z JUN 06 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9376 INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 1122 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T USUN NEW YORK 001235
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2016
TAGS: ETTC KTFN EFIN UNSC PREL PGOV BE
SUBJECT: 1267 COMMITTEE: BELGIAN DE-LISTING REQUEST
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor William Brencick,
for Reasons 1.4 (B and D)
S E C R E T USUN NEW YORK 001235
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2016
TAGS: ETTC KTFN EFIN UNSC PREL PGOV BE
SUBJECT: 1267 COMMITTEE: BELGIAN DE-LISTING REQUEST
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor William Brencick,
for Reasons 1.4 (B and D)
1. (U) This is an Action Request. Please see Para 7.
2. (C) SUMMARY: The Belgian Mission recently provided more
information to USUN about the background of two individuals
for whom Belgium has requested de-listing from the 1267
(al-Qaida/Taliban) Committee's sanctions list. The
information was provided as a follow-up to a May 26 meeting
between Belgian PermRep Verbeke and Ambassador Wolff, where
Verbeke pressed the U.S. to agree to de-list the two Belgian
citizens. Belgian Mission Counselor Marc Pecsteen
subsequently met with USUN on June 9 to explain the
de-listing request for Nabil Sayadi and Patricia Vinck.
Pecsteen acknowledged that Brussels has reviewed documents
that show a link between Sayadi/Vinck and known terrorists.
While Pecsteen acknowledged that Sayadi and Vinck did have
terrorist ties, he emphasized that Belgian courts found
insufficient evidence to convict them of any crime. In
response to Pecsteen's presentation, USUN underlined the
distinction between a criminal process, which relies on one
set of evidentiary standards, and a sanctions process, which
is political rather than judicial in nature, and relies on
another set of criteria. USUN pledged to send the additional
information to Washington for review. END SUMMARY.
BACKGROUND
--------------
3. (C) During a May 26 meeting, Belgian PermRep Verbeke met
with Amb Wolff to press the U.S. to agree to de-list two
Belgian citizens currently under sanctions in the 1267
Committee. Amb Wolff told Verbeke he would convey the
Belgian request to Washington. As a follow-up to that
meeting, Belgian Mission Counselor Marc Pecsteen met with
USUN on June 9 to provide additional information on Nabil
Sayadi and Patricia Vinck. Following their designations in
2003, Sayadi and Vinck sued the Belgian Government and
demanded that Brussels request their de-listing. A Belgian
court ruled in the listed individuals' favor and instructed
the government to forward a de-listing petition to the 1267
Committee, which was done in March 2005. In the request, the
Belgian government made clear that it was responding to the
court's instruction and did not explicitly support the
court's findings. The United States, the UK, France, and
Denmark all placed holds on the request.
4. (C) On April 4, 2006, the Belgians sent a new letter to
the Committee regarding their de-listing request, in which
they reported that a government investigation had concluded
that the two individuals should be de-listed. However, in
the same letter, the Belgians admitted that they possessed
documents showing a link between Sayadi, Vinck, and known
terrorists. When the Committee next met and discussed this
most recent letter, Denmark, France, the UK, and USUN all
underlined the need to learn more about Belgium's finding
that the individuals may have continued ties to terrorism.
TERRORIST LINKS
--------------
5. (S) In a June 9 meeting, Pecsteen presented additional
information to USUN about Sayadi's and Vinck's terrorist
ties. According to court documents, which Pecsteen could
show to USUN but not hand over, two known al-Qaida
financiers, Darkanzali and Galeb Kalaje Zouaydi, helped
Sayadi raise money for his branch of the Global Relief
organization (NOTE: The 1267 Committee designated Global
Relief as an entity associated with al-Qaida. END NOTE).
Darkanzali, living in Germany, and Zouaydi, living in Spain,
allegedly had a close and continuing relationship with
Sayadi. According to the court documents, Sayadi also had
some type of relationship with Rabbih Haddad from Global
Relief, and Tarek Krayem, who was Sayadi's employer. Sayadi
also met (three or four times) with Imad Eddin Barakat
Yarkas, currently living in Spain.
6. (C) Despite the links to known terrorists, Pecsteen
emphasized that there is no indication Sayadi ever
participated in any action connected to terrorism. Moreover,
Pecsteen argued that the Belgian branch of Global Relief was
proven to be a genuinely humanitarian organization.
7. (C) ACTION REQUEST: USUN requests Department guidance on
the additional information provided by the Belgian Mission
and any review of the Belgian de-listing request.
BOLTON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2016
TAGS: ETTC KTFN EFIN UNSC PREL PGOV BE
SUBJECT: 1267 COMMITTEE: BELGIAN DE-LISTING REQUEST
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor William Brencick,
for Reasons 1.4 (B and D)
1. (U) This is an Action Request. Please see Para 7.
2. (C) SUMMARY: The Belgian Mission recently provided more
information to USUN about the background of two individuals
for whom Belgium has requested de-listing from the 1267
(al-Qaida/Taliban) Committee's sanctions list. The
information was provided as a follow-up to a May 26 meeting
between Belgian PermRep Verbeke and Ambassador Wolff, where
Verbeke pressed the U.S. to agree to de-list the two Belgian
citizens. Belgian Mission Counselor Marc Pecsteen
subsequently met with USUN on June 9 to explain the
de-listing request for Nabil Sayadi and Patricia Vinck.
Pecsteen acknowledged that Brussels has reviewed documents
that show a link between Sayadi/Vinck and known terrorists.
While Pecsteen acknowledged that Sayadi and Vinck did have
terrorist ties, he emphasized that Belgian courts found
insufficient evidence to convict them of any crime. In
response to Pecsteen's presentation, USUN underlined the
distinction between a criminal process, which relies on one
set of evidentiary standards, and a sanctions process, which
is political rather than judicial in nature, and relies on
another set of criteria. USUN pledged to send the additional
information to Washington for review. END SUMMARY.
BACKGROUND
--------------
3. (C) During a May 26 meeting, Belgian PermRep Verbeke met
with Amb Wolff to press the U.S. to agree to de-list two
Belgian citizens currently under sanctions in the 1267
Committee. Amb Wolff told Verbeke he would convey the
Belgian request to Washington. As a follow-up to that
meeting, Belgian Mission Counselor Marc Pecsteen met with
USUN on June 9 to provide additional information on Nabil
Sayadi and Patricia Vinck. Following their designations in
2003, Sayadi and Vinck sued the Belgian Government and
demanded that Brussels request their de-listing. A Belgian
court ruled in the listed individuals' favor and instructed
the government to forward a de-listing petition to the 1267
Committee, which was done in March 2005. In the request, the
Belgian government made clear that it was responding to the
court's instruction and did not explicitly support the
court's findings. The United States, the UK, France, and
Denmark all placed holds on the request.
4. (C) On April 4, 2006, the Belgians sent a new letter to
the Committee regarding their de-listing request, in which
they reported that a government investigation had concluded
that the two individuals should be de-listed. However, in
the same letter, the Belgians admitted that they possessed
documents showing a link between Sayadi, Vinck, and known
terrorists. When the Committee next met and discussed this
most recent letter, Denmark, France, the UK, and USUN all
underlined the need to learn more about Belgium's finding
that the individuals may have continued ties to terrorism.
TERRORIST LINKS
--------------
5. (S) In a June 9 meeting, Pecsteen presented additional
information to USUN about Sayadi's and Vinck's terrorist
ties. According to court documents, which Pecsteen could
show to USUN but not hand over, two known al-Qaida
financiers, Darkanzali and Galeb Kalaje Zouaydi, helped
Sayadi raise money for his branch of the Global Relief
organization (NOTE: The 1267 Committee designated Global
Relief as an entity associated with al-Qaida. END NOTE).
Darkanzali, living in Germany, and Zouaydi, living in Spain,
allegedly had a close and continuing relationship with
Sayadi. According to the court documents, Sayadi also had
some type of relationship with Rabbih Haddad from Global
Relief, and Tarek Krayem, who was Sayadi's employer. Sayadi
also met (three or four times) with Imad Eddin Barakat
Yarkas, currently living in Spain.
6. (C) Despite the links to known terrorists, Pecsteen
emphasized that there is no indication Sayadi ever
participated in any action connected to terrorism. Moreover,
Pecsteen argued that the Belgian branch of Global Relief was
proven to be a genuinely humanitarian organization.
7. (C) ACTION REQUEST: USUN requests Department guidance on
the additional information provided by the Belgian Mission
and any review of the Belgian de-listing request.
BOLTON