PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE PRESSES AMBASSADOR ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001814 DEPARTMENT FOR S/WCI, AND NEA/ARP:AMACDONALD E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2018 TAGS: PTER KISL PREL PGOV YM SUBJECT: PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE PRESSES AMBASSADOR ON MOAYAD REF: SANAA 1650 Classified By: Ambassador Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) On November 4, the Ambassador met with a Yemeni Parliamentary Committee formed to lobby for the immediate release of accused terrorist financier Sheikh al-Moayad and his companion Zayed. Members of the committee pointed out that Moayad is well-regarded in Yemen, with no ties to terrorist activity. ¶2. (C) Abdulaziz Jubari of the ruling General People's Congress (GPC) emphasized that the incarceration of Moayed can be used by foes of the USG as evidence that the war on terror is actually a war on Islam. Opposition Islah Parliamentarian Ahmed al-Khawlani stressed to the Ambassador that Moayad's health is poor and deteriorating and Ali Ahmed al-Imrani pointed out that it is important to the bilateral relationship that he not die in US custody. ¶3. (U) The Ambassador clarified for the committee the status of Moayad's case and emphasized that whatever the courts decide it is unlikely that Moayad would return to Yemen in the near future. ¶4. (C) Comment: As we noted in reftel, the decision of the three-judge appellate panel presents an opportunity to re-assess the way forward on Moayad's case that best serves US interests. We believe that the ROYG would accept terms for Moayad's return to Yemen that would include house arrest. Given his age and deteriorating health, we believe this option merits careful consideration, especially in view of the negative implications were he to die while in U.S. custody and acquire "martyr" status. At the same time, given the strong public pressure on President Saleh to persuade the U.S. to return Moayad to Yemen, we can leverage agreement to do so for concessions from the ROYG in other key areas of the bilateral relationship. End Comment. SECHE