AGGRESSIVE AND UNUSUAL SARG SURVEILLANCE

S E C R E T DAMASCUS 000551


CORRECTED COPY OF ADDRESSEES
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DS/ICI/CI, DS/ICI/PII, DS/IP/NEA, NEA/FO,
NEA/ELA, NEA/PI, DRL/FO
NSC FOR SHAPIRO/MCDERMOTT
TUNIS FOR MEPI OFFICE
LONDON FOR TSOU
PARIS MILLER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2029
TAGS: ASEC

SUBJECT: AGGRESSIVE AND UNUSUAL SARG SURVEILLANCE
OF EMBOFF AND VISITING
MEPI
PROGRAM OFFICER

REF: A. DAMASCUS 433

B. DAMASCUS 534

Classified By: RSO Assiya Ashraf-Miller for reason 1.4 (g)


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: On 08/04/09, an Embassy Political
Officer and a visiting State Department officer from NEA/PI
experienced aggressive static and mobile surveillance during
and after their meeting with a new human rights contact at a
cafe. Both officers returned to the Embassy to report the
incident to the Regional Security Office and canceled their
schedule of other meetings with civil society activists. Post
will follow up to determine whether Syrian authorities
detained and/or questioned any Syrian Embassy contacts. END
SUMMARY


2. (S/NF) On 08/04/09, Embassy Political Officer Anthony
Deaton and visiting State Department officer Charles Kiamie
from the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) reported
aggressive static and mobile surveillance to RSO.


3. (S/NF) Both officers had a meeting scheduled at a cafe
near the Embassy at 1500 hrs with a person going by the
pseudonym Saam Abraham (email: saam.abraham@gmail.com) who
contributes to a pro-democratic website called the THARWA
PROJECT. Kiamie had arranged the meeting through a THARWA
PROJECT contact in Washington. Saam Abraham revealed to both
officers his true name to be Adnan Hamdan. During the
meeting at the cafe, Deaton stated he noticed two
Syrian-looking males, muscular and in their thirties watching
them.


4. (S/NF) When the meeting with Hamdan concluded, the two
suspicious men exited the cafe. Deaton stated Kiamie had
gone to the restroom in the cafe while Deaton waited inside.
Deaton noticed the two suspicious men standing outside,
apparently waiting for him and Kiamie to exit the cafe.
Deaton and Kiamie decided to wait inside to see if the two
men would depart. Deaton stated one of the men was talking on
a mobile camera phone. After the two men continued waiting
for approximately 5-10 minutes, Deaton and Kiamie exited the
cafe and walked to Deaton's car and found a teenage boy
standing by the car. Simultaneously, a different man hailed
a taxi on the sidewalk as Deaton and Kiamie got into the car.


5. (S/NF) Deaton and Kiamie headed to their next meeting,
scheduled at Deaton's house with leaders of a pro-democracy
group called the Damascus Declaration. While driving, Deaton
noticed a taxi closely following them. Deaton looped around
a traffic circle, made turns in a nearby neighborhood, and
used other evasive tactics but noted the taxi was still
following them. Deaton then pulled off the road and came to
a full stop. The taxi also came to a stop approximately 50
yards in front of them. At this point, Deaton and Kiamie
decided to return to the Embassy instead of proceeding to
their next meeting. Deaton stated there were two rear
passengers in the taxi. One appeared to be the man who
hailed the taxi at the cafe and another appeared to be a
different male.


6. (S/NF) Deaton parked his car near the Embassy. He
noticed the taxi had stopped at the corner and then rolled
backwards, out of visual range. Deaton and Kiamie stated a
different man started following them by foot towards the
Embassy. Deaton stated this man seemed to have exited the
taxi that had followed them. The man was also speaking on a
mobile phone. Deaton added he had seen this particular man
earlier standing outside of the cafe where the incident began.


7. (S/NF) Kiamie informed RSO he arrived in Damascus from
Amman (his origin was Beirut) that same morning and was
departing the same night for Amman onward to Tel Aviv.
Kiamie stated when he arrived at the Damascus airport,
customs officials were insisting to inspect his briefcase.
The Embassy expediter argued with the customs official, who
eventually let Kiamie proceed without inspection. Kiamie was


traveling with a US diplomatic passport.


8. (S/NF) COMMENT: We have heard recent reports from
Syrian contacts whom the SARG detained and questioned about
their affiliation with MEPI and named American individuals
associated with MEPI projects in Syria (reftels). Post is
waiting to inquire discretely whether any Syrians with whom
Kiamie and Deaton met or planned to meet were detained for
questioning. END COMMENT.


9. (S/NF) RSO COMMENT: The aggressive and unsubtle
surveillance described above is rare for American diplomats
in Damascus but not unprecedented for Emboffs meeting with
civil society contacts. The SARG is possibly cracking down
hard on human rights activists and appeared to have suspected
that MEPI Officer Charles Kiamie would be meeting with
Syrians who are active in promoting democratic reforms. RSO
assesses the SARG wanted both officers to know they were
being watched and were keying especially on Kiamie and his
activities and meetings while in Damascus. Kiamie is
Lebanese-American and an Arabic speaker, which may also have
triggered interest from the security services. The unusual
airport incident further corroborates the SARG's interest in
Kiamie, since Syrian Customs normally permit US diplomatic
passport holders through without asking to inspect carry-on
items. GRPO and Front Office were informed. Kiamie departed
Damascus without further incident the same night. Embassy
Political Officer Deaton will inform RSO of any further
suspicious incidents. POC is RSO Assiya Ashraf-Miller. END
RSO COMMENT.


MAXWELL