Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KUWAIT1539
2007-10-21 13:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:
BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON
how-toVZCZCXRO5209 PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR DE RUEHKU #1539 2941351 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 211351Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0159 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEPINS/HQ BICE INTEL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001539
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2012
TAGS: KU KOMC ETTC
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON
APPLICATION 050057754
REF: SECSTATE 135045
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Tim Lenderking for Reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001539
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2012
TAGS: KU KOMC ETTC
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON
APPLICATION 050057754
REF: SECSTATE 135045
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Tim Lenderking for Reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In response to reftel, econoff visited Al-Hadaf
Hunting and Equestrian Equipment on 4 October and met with
the company's sole proprietor, Ali Al-Sanea, a retired
protocol officer from the Amiri Diwan (the office of Kuwait's
Head of State). Al-Sanea said the Al-Hadaf company,
established by his grandfather, has been in business for
sixty years selling weapons, ammunition, and other hunting
gear to licensed hunters on a retail basis. Al-Hadaf
operates three retail locations (all in Kuwait),two in
Farwaniya and one in Mangaf. According to the owner, the
company sells mostly shotguns (100-200 per year) and
cartridges. Al-Sanea said he only sells three to five rifles
per year. He said Al-Hadaf also sells pistols, but only to
"VIPs," which he defined as royal family members. The
weapons he sells are manufactured by Winchester, Remington,
Mossberg, Browning, Weatherby, Glock, etc. He said he
usually purchases U.S.-made weapons from third-party sellers
based outside the U.S., mostly from Europe and Australia.
Al-Sanea mentioned that Al-Hadaf would be participating in
the Abu Dhabi Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition on October 24.
2. (C) Al-Sanea insisted that Al-Hadaf only sells to
customers with valid licenses issued by the Ministry of
Interior (MOI). He said that many MOI officers are also
customers of Al-Hadaf and an MOI inspector visits Al-Hadaf
every Monday to review its books. He showed econoff sales
records going back at least three years with entries that
include the date and place of sale; the name, license number,
and civil ID number of the customer; and the make, model, and
serial number of the item purchased. He also showed econoff
the purchase order and import license that pertain to the
thirty .22 caliber Henry Survival Rifles. From a layman's
perspective, all the documents and sales records presented
appeared to be in order.
3. (SBU) The main Al-Hadaf shop in Farwaniya, the only one
visited by Econoff, was outfitted with retractable metal
shutters to cover the windows, at least six security cameras,
and an installed motion detector and alarm system. All of
the cabinets containing weapons or ammunitions were locked,
but many of these locks and containers seemed to provide only
weak protection. Al-Sanea said that MOI police patrols
regularly pass by the shop after hours. He said the other
two Al-Hadaf shops incorporate the same security features.
4. (SBU) Al-Sanea said that Kuwait serves as a regional
center for retail weapons and ammunition sales to Gulf
hunters because the retail sale of weapons is banned in other
Gulf countries. He said there are fourteen companies in
Kuwait that serve the Gulf hunting market. He added that
most of his customers do their hunting in Sudan, Syria, and
Lebanon. Al-Sanea said that his most important customers
include members of the royal families of Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE, many of whom are old
acquaintances from his time as protocol officer in the Amiri
Diwan. In some cases these royals come to Kuwait to shop for
and purchase weapons and ammunition which Al-Hadaf then ships
to them in their home countries. (Note: It is not clear to
Econoff whether this practice is a violation of the
prohibition on the re-export of USML items.)
5. (U) Due to scheduling challenges posed by Ramadan work
routines in Kuwait, Econoff has not yet been able to arrange
a meeting with the relevant MOI official to confirm that the
GOK has no derogatory information on Al-Hadaf. The results
of this meeting, once it takes place, will be reported septel.
********************************************* *
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/
********************************************* *
MISENHEIMER
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2012
TAGS: KU KOMC ETTC
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON
APPLICATION 050057754
REF: SECSTATE 135045
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Tim Lenderking for Reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In response to reftel, econoff visited Al-Hadaf
Hunting and Equestrian Equipment on 4 October and met with
the company's sole proprietor, Ali Al-Sanea, a retired
protocol officer from the Amiri Diwan (the office of Kuwait's
Head of State). Al-Sanea said the Al-Hadaf company,
established by his grandfather, has been in business for
sixty years selling weapons, ammunition, and other hunting
gear to licensed hunters on a retail basis. Al-Hadaf
operates three retail locations (all in Kuwait),two in
Farwaniya and one in Mangaf. According to the owner, the
company sells mostly shotguns (100-200 per year) and
cartridges. Al-Sanea said he only sells three to five rifles
per year. He said Al-Hadaf also sells pistols, but only to
"VIPs," which he defined as royal family members. The
weapons he sells are manufactured by Winchester, Remington,
Mossberg, Browning, Weatherby, Glock, etc. He said he
usually purchases U.S.-made weapons from third-party sellers
based outside the U.S., mostly from Europe and Australia.
Al-Sanea mentioned that Al-Hadaf would be participating in
the Abu Dhabi Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition on October 24.
2. (C) Al-Sanea insisted that Al-Hadaf only sells to
customers with valid licenses issued by the Ministry of
Interior (MOI). He said that many MOI officers are also
customers of Al-Hadaf and an MOI inspector visits Al-Hadaf
every Monday to review its books. He showed econoff sales
records going back at least three years with entries that
include the date and place of sale; the name, license number,
and civil ID number of the customer; and the make, model, and
serial number of the item purchased. He also showed econoff
the purchase order and import license that pertain to the
thirty .22 caliber Henry Survival Rifles. From a layman's
perspective, all the documents and sales records presented
appeared to be in order.
3. (SBU) The main Al-Hadaf shop in Farwaniya, the only one
visited by Econoff, was outfitted with retractable metal
shutters to cover the windows, at least six security cameras,
and an installed motion detector and alarm system. All of
the cabinets containing weapons or ammunitions were locked,
but many of these locks and containers seemed to provide only
weak protection. Al-Sanea said that MOI police patrols
regularly pass by the shop after hours. He said the other
two Al-Hadaf shops incorporate the same security features.
4. (SBU) Al-Sanea said that Kuwait serves as a regional
center for retail weapons and ammunition sales to Gulf
hunters because the retail sale of weapons is banned in other
Gulf countries. He said there are fourteen companies in
Kuwait that serve the Gulf hunting market. He added that
most of his customers do their hunting in Sudan, Syria, and
Lebanon. Al-Sanea said that his most important customers
include members of the royal families of Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE, many of whom are old
acquaintances from his time as protocol officer in the Amiri
Diwan. In some cases these royals come to Kuwait to shop for
and purchase weapons and ammunition which Al-Hadaf then ships
to them in their home countries. (Note: It is not clear to
Econoff whether this practice is a violation of the
prohibition on the re-export of USML items.)
5. (U) Due to scheduling challenges posed by Ramadan work
routines in Kuwait, Econoff has not yet been able to arrange
a meeting with the relevant MOI official to confirm that the
GOK has no derogatory information on Al-Hadaf. The results
of this meeting, once it takes place, will be reported septel.
********************************************* *
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/
********************************************* *
MISENHEIMER