TERRORIST FINANCE: REVIVAL OF ISLAMIC HERITAGE

S E C R E T LONDON 000071 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS, EUR/PGI, IO/PHO, AND EUR/UBI TREASURY FOR HEFFERNAN AND SERAFINI NSC FOR HINNEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/08/2017 TAGS: ETTC KTFN PTER PREL EFIN UK SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: REVIVAL OF ISLAMIC HERITAGE SOCIETY (RIHS) POST VETTING REF: A. 2006 STATE 202039 ¶B. 2006 LONDON 4220 AND PREVIOUS (NOTAL) Classified By: Economic Counselor Sandra Clark for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S/NF) Summary: Unless the U.S. has compelling information which either: a) demonstrates that the London branch of the Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS) is under the operational control of Kuwait-based headquarters or b) shows a clear linkage between the London branch and al-Qaida, we believe that HMG would seek to block a designation of the entire RIHS network in the UN 1267 Committee. Our analysis is based on UK reactions to our proposed UN designation of the Sudan-based Islamic African Relief Agency (ISRA/IARA). We note, however, that the UK branch of RIHS has recently changed its name to the British Education and Support Trust (BEST). This may offer us a chance to propose to the UK the same sort of solution we are seeking on ISRA/IARA (ref B). We do not see any need for replacement charitable services subsequent to an eventual designation. End summary. ¶2. (S/NF) Per ref A, the Embassy's terrorism finance cluster met to discuss likely UK reactions to a potential UNSCR 1267 designation of the Kuwait-based Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS),including its fifteen known branches one of which is located in the United Kingdom. We were immediately struck by the parallels between this proposed designation and the October 2004 proposal to seek a UN designation of the Islamic African Relief Agency and its worldwide branches. In that case, the UK made clear that it would place a hold on any proposed UN designation that includes the Birmingham-based ISRA-UK (now know as "Feed the Poor"). It has refused to support a UN listing because we have been unable to demonstrate to its satisfaction that ISRA-UK is under the operational control of the Sudan headquarters nor have we been able to prove that ISRA-UK has witting links to al-Qaida. Given the strong parallel to the ISRA/IARA case, we believe that, in order to win UK support for a UN designation of RIHS in its entirety, we will need to provide them strong evidence that the London branch is under the operational control of the Kuwait headquarters or that the London branch has its own links to terrorism. ¶3. (S/NF) Even if we were not able to provide HMG with specific information on the London branch, the UK would likely be willing to support a UN designation on the entire network if the London branch were not included. In addition, we note that, based on information on the Charity Commission's central register, the London branch has recently changed its name from "The Society of the Revival of Islamic Heritage" to "British Education and Support Trust (B.E.S.T.)." This offers the possibility that we might propose the same solution on RIHS that we intend to offer on ISRA/IARA (ref B): namely, that ask the UK to agree to a UN designation of the entire network including the London branch under its old name, while not listing the new name as one of the known aliases. ¶4. (S/NF) According to figures filed by the London branch with the Charity Commission, its total income in 2005 (the last year for which figures are reported) was under $200,000. Based on this, we do not believe that an eventual asset freeze would have any serious impact on charitable services in the UK. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm Johnson