GLOBAL PATRIOT: DECEASED'S FAMILY MEMBERS VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 001079 SIPDIS MANAMA PLEASE PASS TO VADM COSGRIFF E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2018 TAGS: PARM PREL EG SUBJECT: GLOBAL PATRIOT: DECEASED'S FAMILY MEMBERS VISIT EMBASSY REF: A. CAIRO 1034 B. CAIRO 737 C. CAIRO 623 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: DCM Stuart Jones for reason 1.4 (b). ¶1. (C) Summary: We received an unannounced visit May 27 from two relatives of the widow of Mohammed Affifi. Affifi was the Egyptian boatman killed in the March 24 Global Patriot incident. Mohammed Fathi Mohammed, an attorney, said that the family prefers to settle compensation issues directly with the USG. He asked Embassy representatives to visit the family in Suez to express condolences. Mohammed said that the deceased's family is destitute, and has not received appropriate financial assistance from the GOE. We expressed our condolences to the family, and said that the USG hopes to be able to reach an understanding with the family. We also said that Embassy representatives would visit the family to express our condolences directly. End summary. ¶2. (C) On May 27, we received an unannounced visit from two relatives of Mohammed Affifi's widow: her brother, Mr. Hussein Mohammed Abd El Ayl, and a relative of the wife's mother, Mr. Mohammed Fathi Mohammed. Mohammed Fathi Mohammed, a lawyer in Suez, assumed the role of spokesman for the family and expressed the family's desire to conclude the issue of compensation directly and amicably with the USG, as opposed to using litigation. He said that he had received calls from lawyers in the United States offering to represent the family in litigation proceedings. He also noted that the family has received many calls from the press, but has refused to provide comments or agree to photos. We said that the USG wants to resolve the matter directly. We said that the USG is deeply engaged at the highest levels in order to complete our investigation and resolve the issue as soon as possible. ¶3. (C) Mohammed said that the victim's wife, 9 month-old son and 5-year old daughter are destitute and need assistance, as the deceased was the family's sole bread-winner. He said that although the Suez Governorate Secretary-General had promised to provide the family with a small pension, no funds have materialized. The Ministry of Defense has not contacted the family. The Minister of Petroleum has offered a job to the deceased's oldest brother, but that this arrangement is not helpful to the widow and the brother is already financially well off. ¶4. (C) Mohammed requested that U.S. representatives visit the family in Suez to express condolences. He characterized this as separate from financial arrangements. The family wants the U.S. to see their impoverished circumstances directly. We said that we have not wanted to disturb the family during this difficult period, but we are now prepared to send Embassy representatives to the family to express condolences and promised to visit during the week of June 1. Per Mohammed's request, we provided him with an Embassy point of contact to discuss the condolence visit. SCOBEY