Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07STATE166405
2007-12-13 02:52:00
SECRET
Secretary of State
Cable title:
DEMARCHE REQUEST - MISSING AMCIT ROBERT LEVINSON
how-toVZCZCXRO0419 PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR DE RUEHC #6405/01 3470312 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 130252Z DEC 07 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 9517 RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 2579 RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 2364 RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 8864 RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA PRIORITY 8456 RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 4438 RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU PRIORITY 5619 RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 7341 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 4144 RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA PRIORITY 8665 RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY 0045 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0733 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1200 RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 2397 RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA PRIORITY 3702 RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT PRIORITY 9981 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 5409 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 4698 INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1149 RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 3205 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3890 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 6665 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 6275 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 2280 RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI PRIORITY 7106 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1470 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 1470 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 9355 RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 7657 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 7419 RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI PRIORITY 0056
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 166405
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR GAYLE
BERLIN FOR PAETZOLD
BAKU FOR HAUGEN
ISTANBUL FOR ODLUM
PARIS FOR JORDAN
KABUL FOR HOWARD
MOSCOW FOR KELLEHER/HOGAN
FBI WASHDC FOR LAIRD (WFO)
NSC FOR HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2017
TAGS: BA CASC IR IZ JO KDEM KISL KJUS KPRP KU LE MU PGOV
PHUM, PK, PREL, PTER, QA, SA, SY, TI, TU, TX, AF, KZ, AJ, AM, AE
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST - MISSING AMCIT ROBERT LEVINSON
REF: A. STATE 80300
B. STATE 77328
C. STATE 67683
D. DUBAI 172
E. DUBAI 181
F. DUBAI 256
Classified By: DAS Gordon Gray, NEA/FO
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 166405
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR GAYLE
BERLIN FOR PAETZOLD
BAKU FOR HAUGEN
ISTANBUL FOR ODLUM
PARIS FOR JORDAN
KABUL FOR HOWARD
MOSCOW FOR KELLEHER/HOGAN
FBI WASHDC FOR LAIRD (WFO)
NSC FOR HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2017
TAGS: BA CASC IR IZ JO KDEM KISL KJUS KPRP KU LE MU PGOV
PHUM, PK, PREL, PTER, QA, SA, SY, TI, TU, TX, AF, KZ, AJ, AM, AE
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST - MISSING AMCIT ROBERT LEVINSON
REF: A. STATE 80300
B. STATE 77328
C. STATE 67683
D. DUBAI 172
E. DUBAI 181
F. DUBAI 256
Classified By: DAS Gordon Gray, NEA/FO
1. (U) This is an action message. Please see paragraph 8.
--------------
BACKGROUND
--------------
2. (S) The United States has reason to believe Iranian
security services may have targeted and detained private
investigator and retired FBI Special Agent Bob Levinson on
March 8, 2007, during a trip to Kish Island, Iran,
presumably believing him to still be in USG employ.
3. (SBU) Levinson,s wife, son, and sister-in-law are
scheduled to travel to Iran December 17-23 2007. The
Embassy of Switzerland in Tehran, the U.S. Protecting Power
in Iran in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, will
assist the family during the visit.
4. (S) Press and other reporting indicate Levinson arrived
on Kish Island to investigate for his client cigarette
smuggling in the Gulf and perhaps regional networks of
Russian organized crime. After checking into the Maryam
Hotel, he may have met with U.S. citizen David Belfield,
a.k.a. Dawud Salahuddin, a.k.a. Hassan Abdulrahman, wanted
for murder in the United States in the slaying of Ali Akbar
Tabatabai, a supporter of the late Shah and former Iranian
diplomat, in 1980. Unconfirmed reports over the past
several months suggest Levinson may now be in Evin Prison
(Tehran) or elsewhere in Iran, under the control of the
Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) or the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Another source of
unknown reliability claims Iranian proxies are holding
Levinson in a third country.
5. (SBU) The United States has sent numerous formal
inquiries to Iran since March 12, 2007 through the
Government of Switzerland, seeking information on
Levinson,s disappearance. In June, the EU delivered a
demarche to the Iranian MFA on the cases of Levinson and
the four Iranian-Americans who have since been released
STATE 00166405 002 OF 004
(Haleh Esfandiari of the Wilson Center, Parnaz Azima of
Radio Farda, Ali Shakeri of the UC-Irvine Center for
Citizens Peacebuilding, and Kian Tajbakhsh of the Open
Society Institute). Officials from Japan, Turkey, India
and various European states have also delivered points to
the Iranians. Additionally, the governments of the Czech
Republic, New Zealand, Canada and South Korea have
committed to press the Iranians.
6. (SBU) Initially, the Iranians denied even being able to
verify that Levinson had arrived in Iran, but later said
they did not know what had happened to him after he had
left his hotel on Kish on March 8. Tehran has refused to
share any details of its investigation with the family or
with the Swiss Embassy.
7. (S) Note: Some sources believe that, based on the
Iranian government,s behavior, the regime may not/not be
detaining Levinson. They argue that the authorities would
have signaled to the USG that they were holding the former
FBI agent and made demands. They note, too, that rumors
that Tehran was holding an Amcit would eventually become
widespread, even if the government was trying to keep this
a secret. Alternate theories posit that: 1) the Iranians
abducted Levinson on March 8 but he subsequently died in
custody (he had been on medication for a number of health
problems at the time of his disappearance); or 2) Levinson
fell victim to Russian organized crime.
--------------
ACTION REQUEST/OBJECTIVES
--------------
8. (S) Posts should approach host governments to: 1) make
informal and formal inquiries to the Iranians about Levinson;
2) urge Iranian cooperation during the visit of Levinson,s
wife, scheduled for December 17-23, 2007; 3) push the
authorities in Tehran to share copies of investigative
reports, or at least disclose concrete details from those
reports, with diplomats at the Swiss Embassy in Tehran; 4)
pass along available information and intelligence on the
Levinson case, particularly any "proof of life," to the U.S.
government; 5) if appropriate, thank host governments for
past assistance on the Levinson case.
9. (U) The information contained in below Non-Paper may be
shared with host governments.
--------------
BEGIN TEXT OF LEVINSON NON-PAPER
--------------
United States Citizen Robert A. Levinson, a private
investigator, has been missing in Iran since visiting Kish
STATE 00166405 003 OF 004
Island on March 8, 2007. According to immigration
officials at Dubai International Airport, Mr. Levinson
departed the United Arab Emirates at 10:45 on March 8,
2007, aboard Kish Air Flight Y97141. That same day he
checked in to the Maryam Hotel on Kish Island. At the
hotel, according to press reports, he met with American
citizen David Belfield, a.k.a. Dawud Salahuddin, a.k.a.
Hassan Abdulrahman, who is wanted for murder in the United
States in the slaying of a supporter of the late Shah and
former Iranian diplomat, Ali Akbar Tabatabai, in 1980.
(Belfield fled to Iran after committing that crime.)
The United States has sent numerous formal inquiries to
Iran since March 12 through the Government of Switzerland,
our Protecting Power in Tehran in the absence of formal
diplomatic relations, seeking information about Levinson,s
disappearance. The Iranians initially denied even being
able to verify that Levinson had arrived in Iran, but later
confirmed they had lost track of him after he left his Kish
hotel on March 8. Tehran has refused to share any details
of its investigation with the family or with the Swiss
Embassy.
Levinson,s wife, son, and sister-in-law are traveling to
Iran December 17-23, 2007.
Mr. Levinson had been an official with the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, a U.S. Government law enforcement agency,
until his retirement 10 years ago. The United States
believes Mr. Levinson was visiting Iran to investigate
Iranian cigarette smuggling for a client and/or research a
book on Russian organized crime activities in the region.
At the time of his disappearance, Mr. Levinson was not
working for the United States Government.
Press reports indicate Mr. Levinson met Belfield at the
Maryam Hotel on March 8. During the meeting, Iranian
security personnel allegedly entered the room and detained
both Levinson and Belfield. Belfield was subsequently
released, but no one has seen Mr. Levinson since. Iranian
authorities claim that Mr. Levinson left the hotel on March
8 in a taxi on his way to the airport, thus suggesting that
he left the country.
At the time of his disappearance, Levinson was 6 ft 4 in
(1.93 m) tall and weighed 250 lbs (115kg). Pictures of Bob
Levinson, born March 10, 1948, may be found on the internet
at helpboblevinson.space.live.com/photos. Mr. Levinson has
serious health problems.
End of points.
--------------
POINTS OF CONTACT/REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
STATE 00166405 004 OF 004
--------------
10. (U) Please report any comments that are provided
by host governments as soon as possible. Points of contact
are
Jenny Foo in CA (202 736-4997, foojj@state.sgov.gov) and
Tim Standaert in NEA/IR (202 647-2569/2520,
standaerttm@state.sgov.gov). Washington appreciates post's
assistance.
RICE
RICE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR GAYLE
BERLIN FOR PAETZOLD
BAKU FOR HAUGEN
ISTANBUL FOR ODLUM
PARIS FOR JORDAN
KABUL FOR HOWARD
MOSCOW FOR KELLEHER/HOGAN
FBI WASHDC FOR LAIRD (WFO)
NSC FOR HARDING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2017
TAGS: BA CASC IR IZ JO KDEM KISL KJUS KPRP KU LE MU PGOV
PHUM, PK, PREL, PTER, QA, SA, SY, TI, TU, TX, AF, KZ, AJ, AM, AE
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST - MISSING AMCIT ROBERT LEVINSON
REF: A. STATE 80300
B. STATE 77328
C. STATE 67683
D. DUBAI 172
E. DUBAI 181
F. DUBAI 256
Classified By: DAS Gordon Gray, NEA/FO
1. (U) This is an action message. Please see paragraph 8.
--------------
BACKGROUND
--------------
2. (S) The United States has reason to believe Iranian
security services may have targeted and detained private
investigator and retired FBI Special Agent Bob Levinson on
March 8, 2007, during a trip to Kish Island, Iran,
presumably believing him to still be in USG employ.
3. (SBU) Levinson,s wife, son, and sister-in-law are
scheduled to travel to Iran December 17-23 2007. The
Embassy of Switzerland in Tehran, the U.S. Protecting Power
in Iran in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, will
assist the family during the visit.
4. (S) Press and other reporting indicate Levinson arrived
on Kish Island to investigate for his client cigarette
smuggling in the Gulf and perhaps regional networks of
Russian organized crime. After checking into the Maryam
Hotel, he may have met with U.S. citizen David Belfield,
a.k.a. Dawud Salahuddin, a.k.a. Hassan Abdulrahman, wanted
for murder in the United States in the slaying of Ali Akbar
Tabatabai, a supporter of the late Shah and former Iranian
diplomat, in 1980. Unconfirmed reports over the past
several months suggest Levinson may now be in Evin Prison
(Tehran) or elsewhere in Iran, under the control of the
Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) or the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Another source of
unknown reliability claims Iranian proxies are holding
Levinson in a third country.
5. (SBU) The United States has sent numerous formal
inquiries to Iran since March 12, 2007 through the
Government of Switzerland, seeking information on
Levinson,s disappearance. In June, the EU delivered a
demarche to the Iranian MFA on the cases of Levinson and
the four Iranian-Americans who have since been released
STATE 00166405 002 OF 004
(Haleh Esfandiari of the Wilson Center, Parnaz Azima of
Radio Farda, Ali Shakeri of the UC-Irvine Center for
Citizens Peacebuilding, and Kian Tajbakhsh of the Open
Society Institute). Officials from Japan, Turkey, India
and various European states have also delivered points to
the Iranians. Additionally, the governments of the Czech
Republic, New Zealand, Canada and South Korea have
committed to press the Iranians.
6. (SBU) Initially, the Iranians denied even being able to
verify that Levinson had arrived in Iran, but later said
they did not know what had happened to him after he had
left his hotel on Kish on March 8. Tehran has refused to
share any details of its investigation with the family or
with the Swiss Embassy.
7. (S) Note: Some sources believe that, based on the
Iranian government,s behavior, the regime may not/not be
detaining Levinson. They argue that the authorities would
have signaled to the USG that they were holding the former
FBI agent and made demands. They note, too, that rumors
that Tehran was holding an Amcit would eventually become
widespread, even if the government was trying to keep this
a secret. Alternate theories posit that: 1) the Iranians
abducted Levinson on March 8 but he subsequently died in
custody (he had been on medication for a number of health
problems at the time of his disappearance); or 2) Levinson
fell victim to Russian organized crime.
--------------
ACTION REQUEST/OBJECTIVES
--------------
8. (S) Posts should approach host governments to: 1) make
informal and formal inquiries to the Iranians about Levinson;
2) urge Iranian cooperation during the visit of Levinson,s
wife, scheduled for December 17-23, 2007; 3) push the
authorities in Tehran to share copies of investigative
reports, or at least disclose concrete details from those
reports, with diplomats at the Swiss Embassy in Tehran; 4)
pass along available information and intelligence on the
Levinson case, particularly any "proof of life," to the U.S.
government; 5) if appropriate, thank host governments for
past assistance on the Levinson case.
9. (U) The information contained in below Non-Paper may be
shared with host governments.
--------------
BEGIN TEXT OF LEVINSON NON-PAPER
--------------
United States Citizen Robert A. Levinson, a private
investigator, has been missing in Iran since visiting Kish
STATE 00166405 003 OF 004
Island on March 8, 2007. According to immigration
officials at Dubai International Airport, Mr. Levinson
departed the United Arab Emirates at 10:45 on March 8,
2007, aboard Kish Air Flight Y97141. That same day he
checked in to the Maryam Hotel on Kish Island. At the
hotel, according to press reports, he met with American
citizen David Belfield, a.k.a. Dawud Salahuddin, a.k.a.
Hassan Abdulrahman, who is wanted for murder in the United
States in the slaying of a supporter of the late Shah and
former Iranian diplomat, Ali Akbar Tabatabai, in 1980.
(Belfield fled to Iran after committing that crime.)
The United States has sent numerous formal inquiries to
Iran since March 12 through the Government of Switzerland,
our Protecting Power in Tehran in the absence of formal
diplomatic relations, seeking information about Levinson,s
disappearance. The Iranians initially denied even being
able to verify that Levinson had arrived in Iran, but later
confirmed they had lost track of him after he left his Kish
hotel on March 8. Tehran has refused to share any details
of its investigation with the family or with the Swiss
Embassy.
Levinson,s wife, son, and sister-in-law are traveling to
Iran December 17-23, 2007.
Mr. Levinson had been an official with the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, a U.S. Government law enforcement agency,
until his retirement 10 years ago. The United States
believes Mr. Levinson was visiting Iran to investigate
Iranian cigarette smuggling for a client and/or research a
book on Russian organized crime activities in the region.
At the time of his disappearance, Mr. Levinson was not
working for the United States Government.
Press reports indicate Mr. Levinson met Belfield at the
Maryam Hotel on March 8. During the meeting, Iranian
security personnel allegedly entered the room and detained
both Levinson and Belfield. Belfield was subsequently
released, but no one has seen Mr. Levinson since. Iranian
authorities claim that Mr. Levinson left the hotel on March
8 in a taxi on his way to the airport, thus suggesting that
he left the country.
At the time of his disappearance, Levinson was 6 ft 4 in
(1.93 m) tall and weighed 250 lbs (115kg). Pictures of Bob
Levinson, born March 10, 1948, may be found on the internet
at helpboblevinson.space.live.com/photos. Mr. Levinson has
serious health problems.
End of points.
--------------
POINTS OF CONTACT/REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
STATE 00166405 004 OF 004
--------------
10. (U) Please report any comments that are provided
by host governments as soon as possible. Points of contact
are
Jenny Foo in CA (202 736-4997, foojj@state.sgov.gov) and
Tim Standaert in NEA/IR (202 647-2569/2520,
standaerttm@state.sgov.gov). Washington appreciates post's
assistance.
RICE
RICE