THE RED MOSQUE STRIKES AGAIN: MASSAGE PARLORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 002829 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PK PREL SUBJECT: THE RED MOSQUE STRIKES AGAIN: MASSAGE PARLORS REF: A. ISLAMABAD 2468 ¶B. ISLAMABAD 2334 ¶C. ISLAMABAD 2270 ¶D. ISLAMABAD 1846 ¶E. ISLAMABAD 1688 ¶F. ISLAMABAD 1647 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Peter Bodde, reasons 1.4 (b),( d) ¶1. (C) Summary: On June 23, students from men's and women's madrassahs associated with the Red Mosque kidnapped nine individuals, including six Chinese nationals, from a local massage parlor. The hostages were released sixteen hours later. The incident has embarrassed the Interior Minister, who on June 24 began an official visit to China. End Summary. ¶2. (C) In the middle of the night on June 23, students from the men's and women's madrassahs affiliated with the Red Mosque kidnapped nine persons, including six Chinese nationals, from a well-known Islambad brothel fronting as a Chinese accupuncture clinic and massage parlor. The six Chinese included five women and reportedly some Pakistani customers. As during an incident in early March, when women from the madrassah kidnapped a number of prostitutes from another well known brothel, the Red Mosque claimed it acted against the brothel after neighbors complained about the facility. ¶3. (C) Embassy contacts report that the weekend's activities embarrassed the Interior Minister, who departed June 24 for a five day official visit to China. The embarrassment seems to have spurred a quick resolution; the hostages were released after 16 hours -- faster than after previous incidents. At a press conference after the release, Red Mosque leader Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi said that the students had freed the individuals in view of the friendly ties between Pakistan and China and because of government assurances that all brothels would be shut down. Maulana Ghazi warned the local administration that the Red Mosque could take similar action against other massage centers being used as brothels. 4.(C) COMMENT: Most Muslim leaders in Pakistan continue to publicly deplore the Red Mosque's actions. Nevertheless, the lack of police action against brothels, even after neighbors complain vociferously, leaves a vacuum into which some religious extremists are prone to walk. PATTERSON