BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001286

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PM/DTCC BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2017
TAGS: KU KOMC ETTC
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON
APPLICATION 05-050045971

REF: A. SECSTATE 97637

B. 06 KUWAIT 3366

Classified By: CDA Alan Mishenheimer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) In response to Ref A, on 23 July, Econoff and Econ
Specialist met with Abdullah Al-Muzayan at the Al-Muzayan
International (AMI) store. Abdullah Al-Muzayan said he took
over the business from his father in 1987 and plans to pass
it on to his son. He has a license allowing him to import up
to three million rounds of ammunition. (Note: A scan of the
original license and an English translation can be provided
upon request.) There are two hunting seasons in Kuwait, one
in March and another in September. Al-Muzayan said demand is
strong because Remington is very popular. He noted that his
last order of 1 million rounds was also delayed and hopes his
current order of 1.5 million rounds will clear soon so he can
meet the demand. Of the 1 million rounds he received in May
2007, only 9,000 rounds remain.


2. (SBU) Al-Muzayan initially said he was a wholesaler
supplying ammunition to other Ministry of Interior (MOI)
licensed stores. He provided a copy of a receipt showing
bulk sales and indicated that some 800,000 rounds out of a
previous purchase of 1 million rounds went to other stores.
We asked him to write the names of the stores next to the
totals and send us a fax. He sent a fax without the names
and later called to clarify that this was actually a tally by
type of rounds sold to individuals. Apparently, his employee
writes down how much he sells and then Al-Muzayan adds it up.
He discards the individual sheets after updating the ledger.
They do not collect civil IDs as this is apparently not
required by the MOI. AMI does ask for a license, but
Al-Muzayan indicated that they are not difficult for Kuwaitis
or diplomats to obtain.


3. (SBU) Al-Muzayan explained that shipments are received by
Customs and transferred, under guard, to the MOI for
inspection. When the MOI clears the shipment, AMI picks it
up and brings it back to their store. The store has a
shutter and an alarm although the latter is currently broken.
Al-Muzayan insists that the area is safe because it is right
across from the main government palace complex and next to
central bank. He noted that the GOK does not allow just
anyone to sell weapons and ammunition in front of the palace.
He added that the MOI checks his records at least twice a
month, and he is required to submit a final report of all
sales.


4. (SBU) Al-Muzayan also imports Remington buckshot from
Italy. He attended a private high school in Maryland in the
late 70s.


5. (C) Queries of Post's Office of Military Cooperation, DAO,
and GRPO have yielded neither adverse information nor any
explanation for the high rate of sales other than
recreational hunting. RSO requested that Kuwait State
Security conduct a background check on Al-Muzayan, but as of
22 August, that background check has not been completed.


6. (C) Neither in this investigation nor in a previous
investigation in August 2006 (Ref B) has Post encountered any
evidence to indicate that AMI has used or intends to use the
ammunition it purchases from the United States for
undesirable purposes. Nevertheless, the current order
quantity seems excessive, and based on AMI's inability to
either justify this order quantity or adequately account for
previous sales, Post finds no basis for concluding
definitively that AMI is a reliable recipient of United
States Munitions List (USML) items.

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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s

Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
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MISENHEIMER