EGYPT: SAAD EDDIN IBRAHIM COMMENTS ON HIS

S E C R E T CAIRO 001362 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC STAFF FOR WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2027 TAGS: PGOV PHUM ELAB EAID EG SUBJECT: EGYPT: SAAD EDDIN IBRAHIM COMMENTS ON HIS RELATIONS WITH LABOR ACTIVIST ALI AL-BADRY REF: CAIRO 1283 Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Subsequent to inflammatory, anti-GOE statements made by self-styled labor activist Ali Al-Badry at an Ibn Khaldun Center symposium on April 24 (reftel),and acting on Embassy Cairo concerns about Al-Badry's bona fides, ECPO MinCouns and Poloff met on May 8 with Egyptian-American democracy activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim (SEI) to probe the nature of his relationship with Al-Badry. Econoff had met with Al-Badry on April 7, at SEI's request, to discuss Al-Badry's labor activism. In the April 7 meeting, Al-Badry asked for USG funding for his activities, although he admitted that he did not have any registered, legal entity which might receive such funding. Based on Al-Badry's presentation, we concluded he was perpetrating a fraud, or working as an agent provocateur, or possibly both. We also could not rule out the possibility that SEI was more than an unwitting collaborator in Al-Badry's overture. ¶2. (S) SEI told us on May 8 that he'd had some doubts about Al-Badry's legitimacy. SEI also noted that, as is occasionally the case with other marginal figures in the Egyptian activist community, Al-Badry had been the subject of rumors that he was collaborating with the GOE security service. ECPO MinCouns told SEI that Embassy officers will not/not have contact with Al-Badry due to our concerns about his bona fides. SEI said that, based on his conversation with Emboffs he was also inclined to distance himself from Al-Badry. SEI ended the meeting by thanking Emboffs for "the warning." Based on SEI's comments, we believe that SEI shares our concerns about Al-Badry and will likely distance himself from Al-Badry's activities. RICCIARDONE