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.

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Objectives
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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.

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Action Request
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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.

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Background:
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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