FOREIGN FIGHTERS DISCUSSION: EGYPT'S INTERIOR

S E C R E T CAIRO 000500 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC STAFF FOR PASCUAL S/CT FOR WORMAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2018 TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL PHUM EAIR SY EG SUBJECT: FOREIGN FIGHTERS DISCUSSION: EGYPT'S INTERIOR MINISTER AND CT COORDINATOR DAILEY Classified By: AMBASSADOR FRANCIS RICCIARDONE FOR REASONS 1.4(B) and (D). ¶1. (S) Summary: Dell Dailey, State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism, accompanied by the Ambassador, met on February 25 with Egypt's Minister of Interior Habib El Adly. Dailey briefed Adly on the flow of foreign fighters to Iraq and asked Egypt to press for Syrian cooperation in closing transit routes. Dailey also asked Adly to facilitate a meeting between a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) technical team and Egyptian counterparts to discuss cooperation in screening airline passenger lists for foreign fighters. Adly responded positively to Dailey's requests. Adly said that Egypt will, and does, talk to Syria about foreign fighters and terrorism, but that it is difficult to get Syria to act on commitments. On the DHS team, Adly said Egypt would welcome the visit. End summary. -------------- Foreign Fighters/Passenger Screening -------------- ¶2. (S) Dailey opened the meeting by reviewing information on the countries of origin and transit routes used by foreign fighters traveling to Iraq. He underscored that most foreign fighters enter Iraq through Syria, often transiting the Damascus airport. Dailey asked that Egypt press Syria to cooperate on efforts to prevent foreign fighters from transiting Syria, through imposing visa requirements on Arab visitors, information sharing and identifying Syrians assisting foreign fighters. Dailey also asked Egypt to receive a DHS team to discuss with Egyptian counterparts joint efforts to identify foreign fighters through the exchange and analysis of airline passenger lists. ¶3. (S) Adly complimented Dailey on what he called an "accurate and detailed analysis" of the foreign fighter problem. On the U.S. request to encourage Syrian cooperation, Adly said "we hope Syria will listen to Egypt." According to Adly, Syria may agree to Egyptian requests, but the difficulty is getting Syria to follow through with concrete actions. Adly added that "Syria is sometimes against terrorism, and sometimes with it." On the DHS team, Adly said Egypt would welcome such a visit. ¶4. (S) Adly offered a number of general observations on extremism. He said that one factor aggravating extremism is that governments allow people with extremist views to travel abroad. According to Adly, Egypt prevents extremists from traveling, and noted that very few foreign fighters in Iraq have been identified as Egyptians. Nonetheless, travel restrictions do not address the internet, which Adly identified as a major source of radical ideas and practical training for extremists. Adly said Egypt is attempting to combat on-line propaganda through its counter-radicalization efforts, but asked for U.S. technical assistance to combat extremists' use of the internet. ¶5. (SBU) Prompted by a comment from the Ambassador, Adly turned briefly to human rights. While he made no substantive comments, Adly asked that as we learn of reports of human rights violations, we contact the Ministry of Interior to learn its side of the story. -------------- DHS Follow-up -------------- ¶6. (SBU) DHS should coordinate details of any follow-up visit, including timing, with Post. Post's point of contact for such visit would be Ed White (whitee@state.gov). ¶7. (U) Ambassador Dailey has not cleared this message. RICCIARDONE