EGYPTIAN SHI'A LEADER ON RELATIONS WITH GOE, IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000547

SIPDIS

DRL/IRF FOR COFSKY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2029
TAGS: PHUM KIRF KISL PREF SOCI EG IR IZ
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN SHI'A LEADER ON RELATIONS WITH GOE, IRAN

Classified By: MINISTER-COUNSELOR FOR ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS
WILLIAM R. STEWART FOR REASON 1.4 (D).


1. Key Points:

--(C) We met recently with Mohamed al-Darini, leader of the
Supreme Council of the Descendants of the Prophet, an
Egyptian Shi'a organization. According to al-Darini, there
are approximately 60,000 Shi'a in Egypt, not counting Iraqi
refugees.

--(C) Al-Darini said Egypt's Shi'a community currently has
"no problems" with the GoE, but the Ministry of Islamic
Endowments, which licenses mosques, has not licensed any
Shi'a mosques in Egypt or recognized his organization.

--(C) Al-Darini was arrested in March 2004 for publicly
criticizing Saudi Arabian "Wahabi" influence on Egyptian
society, thereby, in the GoE's view, damaging Egyptian-Saudi
relations. He said he was treated relatively well until his
case was cited in the State Department's 2004 International
Religious Freedom Report. He was then accused of being an
"American agent," transferred to a harsher prison, and badly
mistreated.

--(C) On relations between Egypt's Shi'a community and Iran,
al-Darini denied receiving support from or having contact
with Iran.

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Egypt's Shi'a
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2.(SBU) Al-Darini estimated that Shi'a number no more than
60,000, not counting refugees from Iraq. Many live in Red
Sea coastal cities and are descendants of immigrants from
Iran and Lebanon. Some, including al-Darini, are converts
from Sunni Islam. Al-Darini said that there are no GoE
licensed Shi'a mosques or recognized Shi'a organizations.

3.(C) According to al-Darini, although he is concerned
about growing "Wahabi" influence on Egypt which he believes
is fueling intolerance in Egyptian society, Egypt's Shi'a
community currently has "no problems" with the GoE. In 2004,
however, the GoE arrested a number of Egyptian Shi'a,
including al-Darini.

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Al-Darini's Arrest
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4.(C) Al-Darini attributed his arrest in March 2004 not to
his religious beliefs, but to his criticism of Saudi Arabia's
Wahabism and its influence on Egyptian society. He said GoE
security officials told him directly that he was arrested
because his activities "damaged" Egypt's relationship with
Saudi Arabia. He said that he was initially treated well by
prison authorities until September 2004 when his arrest was
reported in the State Department's annual religious freedom
report. After the release of the report, al-Darini said GoE
security services - citing the report - accused him of being
an "American agent," transferred him to a prison with much
harsher conditions, placed him in solitary confinement, and
"badly mistreated" him (NFI). The GoE released al-Darini in
May 2005. Al-Darini said the GoE again detained him in 2007
for several months for criticizing Egypt's human rights
record.

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No Iranian Support for Egypt's Shi'a
--------------

5.(C) Al-Darini said his organization, and Egyptian Shi'a
generally, receive no support from Iran. He cautioned
against equating Iran with Shi'a Islam and said "Iran looks
after its national interests first, not Shi'a interests." In
fact, he suggested that Iran would be more likely to have
contacts with, and even support, Egypt's Moslem Brotherhood
than Egypt's Shi'a community.

SCOBEY