EMBASSY LISBON'S OCTOBER 2008 VISAS VIPER REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 002711 NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/IC/TIPOFF AND CA/VO/L/C E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2018 TAGS: KVPR CVIS CMGT PINR PTER ASEC PO SUBJECT: EMBASSY LISBON'S OCTOBER 2008 VISAS VIPER REPORT REF: A. LISBON 00001443 ¶B. LISBON 00002649 Classified By: Consul Kathryn Fitrell, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Embassy Lisbon's Visas Viper Program (VVP) Committee met on November 3, 2008. This month, Post submits the name of an American citizen fugitive, wanted in the U.S. for criminal, terrorist activities, a Syrian national with links to an Al-Qa'ida fundraising operative, and 14 members of a neo-Nazi skinhead organization convicted last month in Portugal. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Allan Guedes Sharif is a wanted U.S. fugitive for threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction and making bomb threat hoaxes in connection with attempted bank robberies in Miami and Florida in 2007. He fled to Portugal and acquired Portuguese citizenship to avoid extradition to the U.S. (Note: The Portuguese Constitution bars the extradition of Portuguese nationals with exception of those involved in terrorist activities or international organized crime). He was arrested in June by Portuguese authorities on suspicion of fraud, extortion, and leading a transnational crime ring from Portugal. (see REFTEL A). In February 2008, the Department of Justice (DOJ) requested Sharif's extradition, claiming that his activities in connection with the U.S. bank robberies constituted terrorism, however, the Ministry of Justice rejected the request last month (see REFTEL B). Sharif is currently incarcerated in Portugal. Biodata is as follows. ¶3. (U) Name: Allan Guedes Sharif DPOB: June 26, 1979, New York, NY AKA: David Guedes Sharif (Sharif has used his brother's name to apply for an American passport) He has a P6C2 hit in CLASS, entered January 8, 2004. UID#: DOSPTPLT341431 1. ¶4. (C) The Embassy's Regional Affairs Office provided information on Hade Sayjare, stating he has been in continued contact with Ibrahim Buisir. Buisir was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department in October 2004 as being connected with Al-Qa'ida-linked fundraising activities. According to information available to USG, Buisir directed a European Al-Qa'ida cell that supports operations by arranging travel and accommodations in Europe. Biodata is as follows. ¶2. (U) Name: Sayjare, Hade AKA Say Dare, Hade AKA Sayjara, Hade AKA Ay Jare, Hade AKA Sijre, Hadi Faisal DPOB: 18 June 1971, Al Jest, Syria. Passport #: JS/98#3802733 He has a "00" hit in CLASS, which was entered November 27, ¶2006. UID#: TSC2507470. ¶3. (C) The Portuguese's counter-terrorism unit of the Judicial Police (PJ) provided names of several members and sympathizers of the Portuguese chapter of the neo-Nazi extremist organization, Hammerskin Nation, who were convicted last month. In April 2007, the PJ launched a sting operation to target members of this skinhead organization and detained more than 30 individuals. During searches, the PJ uncovered weapons, ammunition and Nazi propaganda material. The PJ believes the organization has increased it activities, widening its scope across Europe and the U.S. After a six month trial, 29 individuals were convicted and sentenced. The decision is currently under appeal and the individuals cannot serve their sentences until the Appeal Court's decision. Biodata on the most prominent members and connected sympathizers are as follows. None of the individuals has hits in CLASS. ¶4. (U) Name: Valente Machado, Mario Rui. DPOB: 03 August 1976, Lisbon, Portugal. Portuguese ID#: 10717766. He is considered the leader of the Hammerskins Nation. Name: Da Costa Maia, Paulo Alexandre. DPOB: 22 January 1974, Lisbon, Portugal. No ID information available. Name: Torres Nogueira, Pedro Isaque. DPOB: 22 July 1975, Lisbon, Portugal. Portuguese ID#: 10572927. Name: Malheiro Amorim, Jose Antonio. DPOB: 23 April 1974, Ponte de Lima, Portugal. Portuguese ID#: 10346602. Name: Rosa, Francisco Gregorio. DPOB: 29 June 1969, France. Portuguese ID#: 09952930 (Dual French-Portuguese national). Name: Duarte Neves Correia, Paulo Jorge. DPOB: 6 Feb 1972, Lisbon, Portugal. No ID information available. Name: Jesus da Florencia, Paulo Cesar. DPOB: 27 August 1975, Peniche, Portugal. Portuguese ID#: 10498429. Name: De Almeida da Silva Monteiro, Bruno Miguel. DPOB: 12 June 1984, Lisbon, Portugal. Portuguese ID#: 12606339. Name: Leitao, Vasco Mamede. DPOB: 10 October 1974, Lisbon, Portugal. Portuguese ID#: No ID information available. Name: DeBonnet, Phillipe. DPOB: 10 June 1968, France. No ID information available. Name: Cortegaca Jacinto, Tiago Ruben. DPOB: 18 February 1969, Lisbon, Portugal. No ID information available. Name: Santos Pinto, Nelson Miguel. DPOB: 25 May 1983, Lisbon, Portugal. Portugese ID#: 12367062. Name: Themudo da Silva, Nuno Miguel Pedro. DPOB: 19 March 1972, Lisbon, Portugal. Portuguese ID#: 10115296. Name: Francisco Cordeiro, Diogo Filipe. AKA: Francisco Coelho, Diogo Filipe. DPOB: 27 August 1983, Peniche, Portugal. Portuguese ID#: 12112484. ¶5. (U) Post's VVP Coordinator is Consul Kathryn Fitrell, Tel. (011) 351-770-2414, e-mail address: Fitrellk@state.gov. STEPHENSON