COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER SAYS RADIO JAMMING ONLY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 001107 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/RA, AND SCA/A DEPT PASS FOR AID/ANE DEPT PASS USTR FOR DELANY AND DEANGELIS DEPT PASS OPIC DEPT PASS FOR TDA FOR STEIN AND GREENIP CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A NSC FOR JWOOD TREASURY FOR MHIRSON, ABAUKOL, AWELLER, AND MNUGENT COMMERCE FOR HAMROCK-MANN, DEES, CHOPPIN, AND FONOVICH E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV ECPS ECIN EFIN AF SUBJECT: COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER SAYS RADIO JAMMING ONLY WAY TO HALT TALIBAN RADIO BROADCASTS REF: DUNNE-ENGLE EMAILS FROM 1 APRIL 2009 Classified By: Economic Counselor Tom Engle for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On April 30 Afghan Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amirzai Sangin told Econoff that broadcast jamming is the only effective method to halt Taliban radio broadcasts in Afghanistan. Sangin emphasized that the Taliban do not have radio broadcasting licenses in Afghanistan, but noted that establishing a radio broadcast is not difficult. He said the Ministry of Information and Culture issues broadcasting licenses and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) issues frequencies. Sangin said MCIT does not have data outlining when and from where the Taliban broadcasts in Afghanistan and the issue has not been raised in the government. He said that if the U.S. government told MCIT where Taliban broadcasts have been detected and how many broadcasts there are, then MCIT could raise the issue with President Karzai and push for such broadcasts to be jammed. He said the GIRoA could employ the army or MCIT officials using radio frequency monitoring vehicles to target the source of transmissions. Sangin promised to ask the Minister of Information and Culture for any information that ministry has on such broadcasts or licenses for the Taliban. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: Sangin seemed well aware of concerns about such broadcasts and appeared poised to work with the USG to address this problem. Sangin noted that he had read press reports of U.S. interest in jamming radio broadcasts in Pakistan. Without prompting from Econoff, Minister Sangin offered jamming as a solution to halting Taliban communications. END COMMENT. RICCIARDONE