COURTROOM ENCOUNTER WITH AYMAN NOUR

UNCLAS CAIRO 000480 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NSC FOR PASCUAL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM EG SUBJECT: COURTROOM ENCOUNTER WITH AYMAN NOUR REF: 2006 CAIRO 3006 Sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: In a chance encounter on the sidelines of a March 10 court hearing, poloff had a brief conversation with jailed former opposition leader Ayman Nour. Nour, looking pale but generally healthy, said he was "extremely grateful" for all of the USG's efforts on his behalf: "I cannot find words to express my appreciation." Poloff replied that the U.S. is trying its best to obtain his release. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) We attended a March 10 hearing at the 18th District Cairo Felonies Court of a 2006 libel case that Nour and his wife, Gameela Ismail, had filed against the now-defunct newspaper "Sawt al Bulaq" (Voice of Bulaq). Nour was in attendance, which is unusual; since the appeal of his 5-year sentence was rejected on May 18, 2006 (reftel),we have not seen Nour at any of the numerous court hearings we have attended. Nour, looking pale but generally healthy, chain-smoking throughout the proceedings, was sitting in the front row of the courtroom next to Ismail and his lawyer. All other prisoners in the courtroom were locked in a large cage on the left-hand side of the facility, and dressed in the standard Egyptian inmate's white pajamas. Nour, dressed in street clothes, was clearly getting special treatment, perhaps in part because he was the plaintiff in this lawsuit, rather than the defendant. ¶3. (SBU) Poloff caught Nour's eye during the hearing. During a subsequent break in court proceedings, Nour was hustled out of the courtroom into an adjoining room. Ismail informed poloff that Nour, pleased by USG attendance at the hearing, wanted to meet briefly. Surprisingly, the security guards outside the side-room did not raise any protest when Ismail and poloff made their way inside. Nour, greeting poloff with a firm handshake, said that he was "extremely grateful" for all of the USG's efforts on his behalf - "I cannot find words to express my appreciation." Poloff replied that it was an honor to meet him, and said that U.S. is trying its best to obtain his release. Further conversation was inhibited by the presence of four senior SSIS officers in the room. RICCIARDONE