ENGAGING HOST GOVERNMENTS ON CERTAIN TERRORIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 068256 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2018 TAGS: PREL PTER XF AL SUBJECT: ENGAGING HOST GOVERNMENTS ON CERTAIN TERRORIST BROADCASTS REF: SEE PARAGRAPH 8 Classified By: NEA Acting A/S Jeffrey D. Feltman, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an Action Cable. Please see paragraphs 3 and 4. ¶2. (C) Summary. The USG remains concerned about certain radio and television broadcasts, particularly in the Middle East, that are conducted by designated terrorist entities or are likely to incite imminent acts of violence. Since 2005, the Department has delivered demarches to foreign governments, requesting assistance in the removal of certain satellite programming on the basis that the specific broadcasting was conducted by certain designated terrorist entities or was likely to incite imminent acts of violence against Americans. This cable requests specific information related to this issue by July 9, 2008. End Summary. -------------- Objectives -------------- ¶3. (C) --For posts to provide to Washington (and to maintain) up-to-date information on the names and contact information of lead points of contact (and backups) at Embassies when specific problems arise. --To ascertain whether host governments hold one of the four rotating ARABSAT board member positions (in addition to the five permanent Arabsat board members - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, and the UAE) and provide the names of board members to the Department. -------------- Action Request -------------- ¶4. (C) Posts are requested to provide the above mentioned information by cable. Please slug responses to NEA/RA Adam Vaccaro, SCA/RA Jerry Brennig, and EEB/CIP/TS ¶K. Joseph Burton by July 9, 2008. -------------- Background: -------------- ¶5. (C) The messages of violent extremism contained in certain radio and television broadcasts, particularly in the Middle East, that are conducted by designated terrorist entities or are likely to incite imminent acts of violence pose a serious threat to the lives of U.S. military personnel and other Americans abroad as well as to the stability of friendly governments. Previous Department action requests have included demarches concerned with programming on the following networks: the Lebanese Media Group (LMG),which includes the Hezbollah-owned and run al-Manar TV and al-Nour radio networks, Sunni insurgent-run al-Zawraa TV, and the Hamas-founded al-Aksa (Al Aqsa) TV and radio networks. Note that the United States designated LMG, al-Manar, and al-Nour as Specially Designated Global Terrorists(SDGT) under E.O. 13224 because they are owned and controlled by Hizballah (which has been designated as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and an SDGT). Hamas, which runs Al-Aqsa, has also been designated as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and an SDGT. Past U.S. demarches STATE 00068256 002 OF 003 have resulted in mixed success. One significant challenge has been identifying in a timely fashion host government officials with the necessary technical and policy knowledge, and the requisite authority, to take the actions requested. Based on experience to date, the Department assumes that, in the majority of cases, Chiefs of Mission will need to be personally engaged on these issues when they arise, but advance staff level preparation is essential. ¶6. (SBU) Communications satellites retransmit back to Earth what is sent to them by a ground station. Further, satellite-operating companies are often distinct from the entities providing programming. A particular broadcast may be originating from any of a number of different countries in a region. Each country may have its own unique licensing regime, both with regard to the technical operation of a ground station and with respect to permissible programming content. Department demarche requests may therefore involve several posts including the post(s) in countries where the satellite operator is headquartered and/or licensed, where the broadcaster is headquartered and/or programming originates, influential neighboring states, and the site of the satellite ground station. ¶7. (C) Identifying Key Contacts: The Department looks to posts to ensure they have up-to-date contact information for the most appropriate and effective host government and private sector contacts to approach on this issue. Past demarches have centered on host country Ministries of Information, Communications, and Foreign Affairs (and other interlocutors at post discretion) throughout the region as the appropriate channels for approach, whether governmental or, if necessary, corporate. Some broadcast entities (e.g. Arabsat) have boards composed of representatives from member states. In such cases, the USG (normally at the Chief of Mission level) may need to approach ministers or Arabsat board members. In the past, demarches to Arab governments on internal Arabsat broadcasts have been delayed by uncertainty as to board composition. ¶8. (C) The Department is planning to establish a SIPRNet website on Department efforts to counter certain broadcasts either by designated entities or designed to incite violence against Americans. That website will include the background on prior efforts and resources. Pending completion of the website, posts may find useful the following compilation of cable communications on this issue over the past three years: REF: 2005 - State 216186 2006 - State 011408, State 04660, State 181831 2007 - State 084112 BAHRAIN: 2005 - Manama 001834 2007 - Manama 000580 EGYPT: 2005 - Cairo 007547, Cairo 007749, Cairo 007885, Cairo 008321, Cairo 009384 2006 - Cairo 001272, Cairo 001826, Cairo 002432, Cairo 002500, Cairo 003901, Cairo 004201, Cairo 004200, Cairo 002432, Cairo 005270 2007 - Cairo 001879, Cairo 001020 IRAQ: 2007 - Baghdad 000643 JORDAN: 2005 - Amman 009719 2006 - Amman 009101 2007 - Amman 000669, Amman 002629, Amman 002839 STATE 00068256 003 OF 003 KUWAIT: 2005 - Kuwait 005061, Kuwait 005083, Kuwait 005099, Kuwait 005129 2006 - Kuwait 000999, Kuwait 002155, Kuwait 068050, Kuwait 002155 2007 - Kuwait 000047, Kuwait 000241, Kuwait 000278, Kuwait 000953, Kuwait 000749, Kuwait 000953, Kuwait 000953, Kuwait 001337 LEBANON: 2007 - Beirut 000238 LIBYA: 2006 - Tripoli 000095, Tripoli 000438 2007 - Tripoli 000147, Tripoli 000585 OMAN: 2005 - Muscat 0001839 2007 - Muscat 000634 QATAR: 2006 - Doha 001277; Doha 000863 2007 - Doha 000058, Doha 000058, Doha 000233, Doha 000863, Doha 000154 SAUDI ARABIA: 2005 - Jeddah 004134, Jeddah 009438 2006 - Riyadh 000483, Riyadh 002083, Riyadh 009051, Riyadh 004035, Riyadh 004082, Riyadh 005366, Jeddah 000560, Riyadh 009220 2007 - Riyadh 000367, Riyadh 000366, Riyadh 000468, Riyadh 000507, Riyadh 001183, Jeddah 000331 TUNISIA: 2007 - Tunis 000824, Tunis 000934 UAE: 2006 - Abu Dhabi 001120, Abu Dhabi 003404, Abu Dhabi 000008 2007 - Abu Dhabi 000209, Abu Dhabi 001007 YEMEN: 2007 - Sanaa 001142, Sanaa 001577 RICE