AL JAZEERA BOSS OFFERS SUPPORT FOR AMCIT KIDNAP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000113

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP AND S/CT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2019
TAGS: PREL KPAO KAWC AF QA
SUBJECT: AL JAZEERA BOSS OFFERS SUPPORT FOR AMCIT KIDNAP
VICTIM IN AFGHANISTAN

REF: DOHA 105

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH E. LEBARON, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D
).

Note: This cable contains two action requests. Please see
Comments Section.

--------------
KEY POINTS
--------------

-- Al Jazeera Network Director General Wadah Khanfar told
Ambassador on February 10 that Al Jazeera was willing to
broadcast programs in support of New York Times journalist
David Rohde, an Amcit being held captive in Afghanistan.

-- According to Khanfar, broadcasts could include Al
Jazeera's own statements in support of Rohde, statements by
his family and employer, and a profile of Rohde, which could
include mention of his award-winning reporting on the
massacre of Muslims in Srebenica.

-- Khanfar said Al Jazeera does not hand over hostage videos
to law enforcement because it does not want to become
embroiled in legal proceedings. If provided an option that
would absolve Al Jazeera of legal
responsibility, however, he was willing to bring it before
the Board of Directors for consideration.

-- The Director General apologized for Al Jazeera's breach
of its own policy in not notifying Embassy in advance of
airing video footage of Rohde on February 6.

--------------
COMMENTS AND ACTION REQUESTS
--------------

-- Embassy requests that appropriate Department offices
consider, in careful consultation with Rohde's family and
employers, how to respond to Khanfar's offer of broadcast
support. At a minimum, we believe that Al Jazeera,s
highlighting Rohde's Bosnia reporting would be helpful.

-- Embassy also requests that Department -- L, specifically
-- study Al Jazeera's legal concerns about handing over
hostage videos. Perhaps L can identify a procedure that
meets Al Jazeera's concerns about its exposure to legal
processes, if it were to provide these videos to the USG.

-- We frequently disagree with Al Jazeera's reporting style
and editorial bent, but it is useful to remember that there
are still areas on which Al Jazeera is willing to work with
us.

END KEY POINTS, ACTION REQUESTS AND COMMENTS



1. (C) Ambassador called on Al Jazeera Director General
Wadah Khanfar on February 10 to discuss the network's recent
airing of a hostage video involving New York Times reporter
David Rohde (reftel) and Al Jazeera's sensational Gaza
coverage (septel). Khanfar said he was pleased to cooperate
with the Embassy on viewing the hostage video because, "when
it involves a journalist, we are not neutral. We will take
his side every time."



2. (C) Khanfar said that he had told Rohde's editors that,
if they or the family wanted to record pleas for Rohde's
release, Al Jazeera would air them. "We know that they are
watching us in Afghanistan, so this could be helpful," he
offered. Khanfar noted that the Times editors had declined,
noting that sensitive negotiations were ongoing. If ever it
were deemed useful, however, Khanfar said that Al Jazeera
would be willing to air its own statements in support of
Rohde.


3. (C) Khanfar also noted his willingness to produce and air
a profile on Rohde's life. Responding to a suggestion from
Ambassador, Khanfar agreed that a profile could be powerful
if it highlighted Rohde's Pulitzer-prize winning work
reporting on the massacre of thousands of Muslims in
Srebenica.


4. (C) Khanfar said Al Jazeera does not hand over hostage
videos to law enforcement because it does not want to become

DOHA 00000113 002 OF 002


embroiled in legal proceedings. If provided an option that
would absolve Al Jazeera of legal responsibility, however, he
was willing to bring it before the Board of Directors for
consideration.


5. (C) Asked if, in the future, Embassy could be made aware
of such tapes 24-72 hours in advance, Khanfar replied that
this was too much time, since most videos provided to Al
Jazeera are uploaded to the Internet within several hours,
and said the network strived to notify embassies 3-4 hours
before broadcasting. He apologized for Al Jazeera's breach
of policy in not notifying the Embassy in advance of the
Rohde clip, explaining that the editor on duty at the time
had received calls from New York Times reporters and others,
so he thought the fact that Al Jazeera had the video was
common knowledge.
LeBaron