Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07RABAT909
2007-05-24 11:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:  

RE-PROGRAMMING FY2007 AML RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC

Tags:  KTFN EFIN PTER PGOV MA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0909 1441135
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 241135Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6585
INFO RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 3065
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000909 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG, S/CT, EB AND INL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017
TAGS: KTFN EFIN PTER PGOV MA
SUBJECT: RE-PROGRAMMING FY2007 AML RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC
CORRUPTION COURSE

REF: RABAT 889

Classified By: Economic Counselor Stuart Smith, Reasons 1.4 (b and d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000909

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG, S/CT, EB AND INL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017
TAGS: KTFN EFIN PTER PGOV MA
SUBJECT: RE-PROGRAMMING FY2007 AML RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC
CORRUPTION COURSE

REF: RABAT 889

Classified By: Economic Counselor Stuart Smith, Reasons 1.4 (b and d).


1. (SBU) With confirmation from Moroccan Finance Ministry
officials that planned USG assistance to help establish
Morocco's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and train its
personnel would be most effective if provided in 2008, after
the unit is up and running, post recommends that a portion of
the funding available for AML/CTF issues in FY2007 be
reprogrammed to provide Moroccan authorities with a public
corruption course.


2. (C) Moroccan authorities have recently displayed a new
determination to address such corruption issues, and indeed
were able to secure passage of the country's new anti-money
laundering law in part by portraying it as part of a new
anti-corruption campaign. Other recent measures include
adoption of a new law aimed at making public tenders more
transparent, and a number of significant arrests in the last
six months in public corruption cases linked to terrorism
investigations and narcotics investigations, among other
issues. All these cases had potential money laundering
implications, had the new money laundering law been in place
at the time. To cite one example, a terrorism cell was
dismantled which had recruited police and military officials
to facilitate its activities. This group had raised funds
through solicitations and criminal action. While the extent
of involvement by public officials in the group's money
laundering and terrorist financing activities is not yet
clear, the case does establish that inducement of some
renegade public officials to use their position to support
criminal and terrorist objectives is a real possibility in
the present environment in Morocco.


3. (SBU) To address this possibility, we request an FBI
Public Corruption course for Moroccan authorities during the
target month of July 2007. Ideally, the course would be a
standard public corruption course wherein the instructors
would be prepared to emphasize how to address public
corruption matters in general, as well as specific potential
links to money laundering and terrorist finance. The
Embassy's Counter-terrorism working group has discussed the
proposal and strongly endorses it. Post understands that if
Department concurs with this program, FBI will be able to
provide the course within the desired time frame. Points of
contact in FBI's International Training Unit are Keith Kaid
and Penny Hoback.

******************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
******************************************

RILEY