AL-QAIDA SANCTIONS AND THE INTERNET

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000555 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTFN ETTC EFIN UNSC PREL PTER SUBJECT: AL-QAIDA SANCTIONS AND THE INTERNET ¶1. (SBU) The Security Council 1267 (al-Qaida/Taliban) Sanctions Committee discussed on June 25 al-Qaida's misuse of the Internet to recruit, fundraise, train, spread propaganda, and plan terrorist attacks. The Committee Chairman structured the debate around a Monitoring Team paper on the issue (sent to IO/PSC via email) and focused Committee members on how to use the current sanctions measures to prevent listed individuals and entities from operating, either directly or indirectly, terrorist websites. ¶2. (SBU) The Monitoring Team paper highlights cases in which listed individuals register and run their own websites - a clear violation of the assets freeze provision of the 1267 sanctions regime. Other cases of websites dedicated to, but not controlled by, sanctioned individuals and/or entities also appear to constitute support for al-Qaida, Usama bin Laden, the Taliban, and their associates and therefore could be subject to the sanctions measures. ¶3. (SBU) France, Italy, and Russia strongly supported the Monitoring Team paper and many of the recommendations contained therein. The UK, Congo, and Qatar expressed interest in continuing to study the matter. Indonesia and USUN stressed the importance of protecting freedom of speech, but at the same time acknowledged that the current sanctions measures do afford the Committee an opportunity to take action. ¶4. (SBU) Delegations coalesced around the Monitoring Team recommendation that the Committee provide guidance to States on how to use OP20 of resolution 1735 (2006) as a tool to combat al-Qaida's criminal misuse of the Internet. OP20 stresses that the assets freeze applies to the provision of Internet hosting and related services. The Committee plans to continue its discussion of the Monitoring Team paper and agree on a plan of action. KHALILZAD