MINISTRY OF INTERIOR CONTINUES TO UNDERSCORE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000873 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOE PASS TO ADEALVAREZ AND PWILLGING CIA PASS TO TCOYNE E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2017 TAGS: EPET PTER PGOV INR SA SUBJECT: MINISTRY OF INTERIOR CONTINUES TO UNDERSCORE IRANIAN THREAT TO PETROLEUM FACILITIES REF: A. AL SEMARI-ROSS E-MAIL 23 APRIL 2007 ¶B. RIYADH 00523 Classified By: ADCM DAVID RUNDELL FOR REASONS 12958 1.4 B, D, AND E ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph five. -------------- Iranian Threat Weighs on MOI; MOI Requests Threat Brief and Addition to Agenda for JWG -------------- ¶2. (S) During an April 21 meeting, Ministry of Interior Chief of Staff Major General Dr. Saad al Jabri continued to communicate his deep concern with the threat posed by Iran to Saudi Arabia's petroleum infrastructure. His concerns track those expressed by Assistant Minister of Interior Mohammed bin Nayif in ref B. Dr. al Jabri requested a briefing from the CIA and other related intelligence or military agencies on the threat Iran presents to petroleum facilities in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, in an inter-agency meeting attended by Energy Attache Ross, CIA energy Analysts XXXXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXXX, and XXXXXXXXXXXX, and BPM Officers Seyer and Moraga. Dr. al Jabri requested the threat brief be included as part of the April 30 JWG, stating Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Al-Jubeir would attend, and would then be in a position to brief King Abdullah. In ref A, Joint Working Group (JWG) on critical infrastructure protection (CIP) Saudi Co-Chair Dr. Saud Al-Semari also requested we add an additional component to the JWG agenda, "Threat Assessment and Countermeasures." -------------- Iranian Threat Backdrop to Accelerated JWG -------------- ¶3. (S) Dr. Jabri explained the MOI had moved the next meeting of the JWG forward from June until April 30 because of its concerns with the situation in the Gulf, specifically increased hostilities with Iran. He also highlighted increasing threats from Saudi Arabia's and neighboring Shi'a, and the threat posed by the Saudi Hezbollah. Dr. al Jabri noted neither the MOI nor the Ministry of Defense and Aviation sufficiently understood Iranian capabilities to allow for appropriate contingency planning for continued oil operations or recovery from a significant attack. He stated it would not have to be a highly accurate missile to cause serious operational damage to Saudi oil operations, even a "stupid" missile could do so. He expressed his worries with a "layered" attack by both military forces and terrorists, which could then be compounded by a Shi'a reaction in the Eastern Province. He stated, "we would like to be prepared for worst case scenarios, we do not want any surprises." -------------- Internal Aramco Threat Concerns MOI -------------- ¶4. (S) Finally, Dr. al Jabri also highlighted the MOI's concern with the threat posed by internal sabotage from Saudi Aramco employees. He stated there were Saudi Aramco employees known by MOI to be members of extremist groups. -------------- Action Request -------------- ¶5. (S) S/CT please advise if an interagency threat brief can be presented during the April 30 JWG meeting to address Saudi concerns with the Iranian threat to petroleum facilities, and possible follow-up contingency planning. Please advise if "Threat Assessment and Countermeasures" item can be added to the JWG agenda. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (S) Post believes these are serious and legitimate requests which will make the JWG significantly more useful for our Saudi counterparts. We hope these requests can be granted. GFOELLER