FOLLOW-UP ON SAUDI "REFORMERS"

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 001891

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

EPT PLEASE PASS TO NEA/ARP FOR BJACHIM/SRAMESH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2027
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PTER KTFN KDEM PHUM SA
SUBJECT: FOLLOW-UP ON SAUDI "REFORMERS"

REF: A. JEDDAH 00383

B. RIYADH 00497

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gfoeller for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (S//NF) The international media recently published
several articles about a ten-page petition addressed to King
Abdullah demanding that the SAG release a group of nine
"reformers" arrested on February 2-3, 2007 in Jeddah. The
articles focused on the legitimate fundraising efforts of
certain individuals in the group and conveyed the anger and
frustration of the detainees' families over the treatment of
those arrested (ref A). At the time of their arrest, the
group was formally charged with illegally collecting
donations and distributing them to unspecified "suspicious"
persons. While there is very little evidence available in
the public realm that substantiates these claims, Post's
Interagency Terrorism Finance Task Force has learned that the
SAG's internal security service (Mabahith),through an
ongoing investigation, has linked some of the individuals in
question to nefarious activities that warrant further
exploration.


2. (U) The petition has been signed by liberal writers and
academics, along with both Sunni and Shi'a Muslim activists.
The authors expect to collect at least 400 signatures before
it is formally submitted to the King on the first day of
Ramadan according to articles in the press. As of September
3, a Saudi reformist website tracking the petition indicated
that the authors had collected 106 signatures. The activists
sent a copy of the petition to the Ministry of Justice, Shura
Council, Human Rights Commission, and National Society for
Human Rights, and also posted it on an Islamic website. The
petition questions Ministry of Interior (MOI) allegations
that the nine individuals were involved in activities
supporting terrorism and/or Sunni insurgent groups in Iraq.
It explains that "most" of the suspects have taken part in
drafting or been signatories of fourteen previous petitions
and statements from 1991 to 2007 advocating human rights,
democracy, the rule of law, and separation of powers in
government. The petition asks the SAG to either release the
nine detainees or try them in a court of law now that the
six-month deadline for holding suspects without a trial has
passed. It further requests that the Investigation Board not
be affiliated with the MOI, and that it report directly to
the Council of Ministers in order to ensure a fair trail.


3. (C) Press reports highlighted the nine individuals'
backgrounds in human rights and democracy, and three of the
suspects were said to have signed a petition calling for an
Islamic-based constitutional monarchy the day before their
arrest in February. Others are alleged to have been
considering the formation of an Islamic political party in
Saudi Arabia prior to their arrest. Articles also focused on
the petition's claims that these detentions were a ploy by
the MOI to discredit proponents of a civil society. Adding
to public interest was an article by one independent news
organization claiming that three of the detainees started a
hunger strike in mid-August. (NOTE: Post has been unable to
substantiate this claim. END NOTE.)



4. (U) The nine "reformers" named in the petition are:


1. Sa'ud Hassan Mukhtar Al-Hashimi

2. 'Abd al-'Aziz Sulayman al-Khariji

3. Sulayman Ibrahim Salih al-Rashudi

4. Musa Muhammad al-Qarni

5. 'Isam Hassan Zayn al-Basrawi

6. 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abdallah Al-Shumayri

7. Sayf al-Din Faysal al-Sharif

8. Fahd Muhammad Hasan al-Qarshi

9. 'Abd al-Rahman Sadiq Mu'min Khan

NOTE: A tenth individual, Al-Husayn al-Hasan al-Sadiqi, was
also arrested as a part of this group in February 2007. At
the time of his arrest, he was serving as Basrawi's personal
assistant. He is likely excluded from the petition because
he is Moroccan, and not a Saudi citizen.


5. (S//NF) COMMENT: Following the arrests in early February
2007 (ref B),the Mabahith launched an in-depth investigation

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into the backgrounds, activities, and associations of these
individuals. Their efforts have uncovered compelling
evidence linking a number of those arrested to terrorism.
The Mabahith has shared some of this material with Post's
Interagency Terrorism Finance Task Force. Based on these
interactions, the Task Force concurs that there are valid
concerns regarding the plans and intentions of some of the
individuals in custody. In particular, debriefings of
Al-Hashimi have revealed his financial support to Sunni
insurgent groups in Iraq -- namely the Jaysh Al-Islami.
Other individuals have been linked to known terrorism
financiers, or Al-Qa'ida, either through familial or
historical ties. Further, the fact that some members of the
group were involved in legitimate pro-reform efforts does not
preclude them from engaging in terrorist funding activities
-- the two are not mutually exclusive in the Saudi context.
The SAG has been reluctant to release any incriminating
information to the public for fear that doing so could either
encumber the investigation or impede the SAG's ability to
follow up on leads uncovered during the investigation. Given
the sensitivity of this issue, and the evolving nature of the
investigation, Post recommends refraining from making any
public statements about these events until more information
can be obtained. Post will continue to track this issue and
engage the SAG to gather further information as it becomes
available.
FRAKER