TERRORIST FINANCE: FRENCH FOLLOWUP ON SAUDI FIVE

S E C R E T PARIS 003827 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EEB/ESC/TFS, NEA AND EUR/WE E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2017 TAGS: FR KTFN EFIN PTER ETTC PREL SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: FRENCH FOLLOWUP ON SAUDI FIVE DESIGNATION REF: A. SECSTATE 128990 ¶B. PARIS 03750 ¶C. SECSTATE 121245 Classified By: ECON MINCOUNS SETH WINNICK FOR REASONS 1.4 B & D (S) ON SEPTEMBER 14, ECONOFF DELIVERED REF A FOLLOWUP DEMARCHE TO THE MFA INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS OFFICE AND THE SAUDI ARABIA DESK. CONCERNED ABOUT HOW DESIGNATION OF AL-HAWALI AND AL-AWDA WOULD IMPACT THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS SAUDI-FRENCH AND SAUDI-AMERICAN RELATIONS, THEY ASKED WHAT THE OFFICIAL SAUDI REACTION HAS BEEN TO THE U.S. PROPOSAL. NOT ONLY ARE THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS WELL-KNOWN AND POPULAR IN SAUDI ARABIA BUT, THEY SAID, THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT WORKS WITH THEM - OR EVEN "USES" THEM - IN ITS EFFORTS TO CONTROL RADICAL ISLAMIC MOVEMENTS IN THE COUNTRY. FINALLY, THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE GOF HAS LONG BEEN AWARE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS' INVOLVEMENT IN PROMOTING RADICAL AND VIOLENT ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY IN CONNECTION WITH IRAQ, AND ASKED WHY THE U.S. HAD CHOSEN THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT TO MOVE AGAINST THEM. THEY REITERATED FRENCH OBJECTION BUT, THE SECURITY AFFAIRS OFFICER SAID, IF THE GOVERNMENT OF SAUDI ARABIA SUPPORTED THE DESIGNATION, THE GOF WOULD LIKELY RECONSIDER ITS OWN OBJECTION. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm Stapleton