Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE19145
2008-02-26 16:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

LIBYA: DEMARCHE ON LIFTING HOLD ON PROPOSED UNSC

Tags:  EFIN KTFN PREL PTER UNSC LY 
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VZCZCXRO7569
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #9145/01 0571700
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O R 261656Z FEB 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 8773
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0747
RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHINGTON DC 9261
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC 9848
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 019145 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2018
TAGS: EFIN KTFN PREL PTER UNSC LY
SUBJECT: LIBYA: DEMARCHE ON LIFTING HOLD ON PROPOSED UNSC
1267 SANCTIONS COMMITTEE LISTINGS

REF: A. STATE 14920 NOTAL

B. TRIPOLI 101

C. STATE 8902 NOTAL

Classified By: NEA DAS Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 019145

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2018
TAGS: EFIN KTFN PREL PTER UNSC LY
SUBJECT: LIBYA: DEMARCHE ON LIFTING HOLD ON PROPOSED UNSC
1267 SANCTIONS COMMITTEE LISTINGS

REF: A. STATE 14920 NOTAL

B. TRIPOLI 101

C. STATE 8902 NOTAL

Classified By: NEA DAS Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph three.

--------------
BACKGROUND
--------------


2. (C) On February 13, USUN proposed listing four Syrian
based AQI affiliated members pursuant to UNSC 1267
(al-Qaida/Taliban Sanctions). Libya placed a hold on the
request. The Libyan Permanent Representative told USUN
originally that the Libyan mission had not received
instructions from Tripoli, so the Libyan mission placed a
hold as "a precautionary measure." Subsequently, a member of
the Libyan mission to the UN informed USUN that this case is
a "sensitive matter" and that the Libyans would as a matter
of course place holds on listing requests for any individual
or entity with an Arab name. Department of Treasury
officials also raised this issue with the Libyan Ambassador
to Washington, who was (not surprisingly) uninformed about
the case, but who complained that insufficient
pre-notification was putting his government in a difficult
position with Arab neighbors on sensitive matters.

--------------
ACTION REQUEST AND OBJECTIVES
--------------


3. (C/REL LIBYA) Department requests Embassy Tripoli approach
Libyan interlocutors at the highest appropriate level to
request that Libya lift its hold on our February 13 request
to list under UNSCR 1267 Syria-based Badran Turki Hishan al
Mazidih and three members of his network. (The Statement of
Case for this submission, provided previously in ref C, is
copied below in paragraph four.) Embassy Tripoli should
pursue the following objectives:

-- Remind the Libyans that we pre-notified them six days in
advance (ref B) of our submission.

-- Convey that the Libyan UN Mission's subsequent explanation
to USUN that proposed designations involving Arabs would be
placed on hold "as a matter of course" is unacceptable. The

nature of the al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions regime makes the
submission of Arab names a fairly common occurrence. Any
policy to block such submissions without any substantive
justification would undermine the internationally agreed-upon
objectives of this sanctions regime.

-- Reiterate our request that Libya support the
aforementioned listings and refrain from arbitrary holds in
the future.

--------------
UNCLASSIFIED STATEMENT OF CASE

SIPDIS
--------------


4. (U) Syria-based Badran Turki Hishan Al Mazidih, also known
as Abu Ghadiyah, runs an al-Qa'ida in Iraq (AQI) facilitation
network and controls the flow of money, weapons, fighters,
and other resources through Syria. The network is very
family-centric, with four of its key members living in the
same house in Syria. As of September 2006, Badran's
facilitation network was critical to AQI's ability to sustain
itself in Iraq.

(1) BADRAN TURKI HISHAN AL MAZIDIH

Ind. 1: Al Mazidih, BADRAN Turki Hishan
AKA: Al-Mazidih, Badran Turki al-Hishan
AKA: Abu Ghadiyah
AKA: Al Mezidi, Badran Turki Hishan
AKA: Hishan, Badran Turki
AKA: Hisham, Badran al-Turki
AKA: Al- Turki, Badran
AKA: Al-Sha,bani, Badran Turki Hisham al-Mazidih
AKA: Abu, Abdallah
AKA: Abu Abdullah
AKA: Shalash, Badran Turki Hayshan

STATE 00019145 002 OF 003


AKA: Abu, Azzam
DOB: 1977
Alt. DOB: 1978 or 1979
POB: Mosul, Iraq
Location: Zabadani, Syria

In 2004, former AQI leader Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi appointed
Badran as AQI's Syrian commander for logistics. After
Zarqawi's death, Badran began working for the new AQI leader,
Abu Ayyub Al- Masri. As of late-September 2006, Badran took
orders directly from Masri, or through a deputy.

Badran, who had been chosen by AQI for his ability to obtain
false passports for foreign terrorists, provided passports,
weapons, guides, safe houses, and allowances to foreign
terrorists in Syria and those preparing to cross the border
into Iraq as of March 2006. In one instance, Badran received
several hundred thousand dollars from his cousin Saddah -
whose name we also intend to submit to the UN 1267 Sanctions
Committee - and used these funds to support anti-U.S.
military elements and the travel of AQI foreign fighters.
Badran also provided money to other AQI commanders.

As of the spring of 2007, Badran facilitated the movement of
AQI operatives into Iraq via the Syrian border. Badran also
directed another Syria-based AQI facilitator to provide safe
haven and supplies to foreign fighters. This AQI
facilitator, working directly for Badran, facilitated the
movement of foreign fighters primarily from Gulf countries,
through Syria into Iraq.

(2) GHAZY FEZZA HISHAN AL MAZIDIH

Ind. 2: Al Mazidih, GHAZY Fezza Hishan
AKA: Hishan, Ghazy Fezzaa
AKA: Abu Faysal
AKA: Shlash, Mushari Abd Aziz Saleh
AKA: Abu Ghazzy
DOB: 1974 or 1975
Residence: Zabadani, Syria

Ghazy Fezza Hishan Al Mazidih is Badran's cousin and a member
of his AQI facilitation network. As of March 2006, Ghazy was
Badran's "right-hand man". As second-in-command of Badran's
AQI network, Ghazy worked directly with Badran, managed
network operations, and acted as the commander for Badran's
AQI network when Badran traveled. As of late-September 2006,
Ghazy and Badran were planning to facilitate an AQI attack
against Coalition forces and Iraqi police in Qusaybah, Iraq.
Ghazy and Badran planned to use rockets to attack multiple
Coalition forces outposts and Iraqi police stations, in an
attempt to facilitate an AQI takeover of Qusaybah.

(3) AKRAM TURKI HISHAN AL MAZIDIH

Ind. 3: Al Mazidih, AKRAM Turki Hishan
AKA: Al-Mazidih, Akram Turki Hishan
AKA: Abu Jarrah
AKA: Abu Akram
AKA: Al-Hishan, Akram Turki
Residence: Zabadani, Syria
DOB: 1974 or 1975
Alt. DOB: 1979

Akram Turki Hishan Al Mazidih is Badran's brother and a
member of his AQI facilitation network. As of early-2006,
AQI leaders Akram and Badran directed AQI operations near Al
Qa'im, Iraq. In one instance in late-November 2006, Akram,
identified as Badran's media facilitator, rented a pickup
truck to smuggle weapons from Syria for use in Iraq. As of
late-September 2005, Akram acted on behalf of AQI by using
his position as head of a shari'a court to issue fatwas and
order the execution of AQI's enemies. Akram issued at least
one fatwa ordering the execution of all persons found to be
working with the Iraqi Government or U.S. Forces, and at
least one of Akram's fatwas resulted in the execution of two
Iraqis in Al Qa'im, Iraq.

(4) SADDAH JAYLUT AL-MARSUMI

Ind. 4: Al-Marsumi, SADDAH Jaylut
AKA: Al-Marsumi, Sa,da Jalut Hassam
AKA: Jalout, Saddaa
AKA: Jaloud, Sa,daa
DOB: 1955 or 1956
Citizenship: Syrian
Residence: Al Shajlah Village, Syria
Alt. Residence: As Susah Village, Syria
Alt. Residence: Baghuz, Syria

STATE 00019145 003 OF 003


As of the spring of 2006, Saddah Jaylut Al-Marsumi, Badran's
cousin, was an AQI financier who worked with Badran and other
AQI facilitators to transport several unidentified Syrian
suicide bombers into Iraq on behalf of AQI. Saddah also
facilitated the financing and smuggling of AQI foreign
fighters from Syria into Iraq. In one instance, Saddah
transferred several hundred thousand dollars to a hawala in
Iraq, where Badran received the funds and used them to
support anti-U.S. military elements and the travel of AQI
foreign fighters.

End Statement of Case.

--------------
REPORTING DEADLINE
--------------


5. (U) Post should report the result of efforts by cable by
February 27, 2008.

--------------
POINT OF CONTACT
--------------


6. (U) Questions may be directed to NEA/MAG (Amanda Johnson,
202-647-4674) and IO/PSC (Erin Crowe, 202-736-7847).


7. (U) Department appreciates the Embassy's assistance with
this matter.


8. (U) Tripoli minimize considered.
RICE