GOI RESPONSE TO USG REQUEST TO DELIST TRANCHE 3

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001344 SENSITIVE SIPDIS IO/PSC FOR ERIN CROWE E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2019 TAGS: EFIN KTFN PREL PTER UNSC IT SUBJECT: GOI RESPONSE TO USG REQUEST TO DELIST TRANCHE 3 NAMES REF: STATE 109494 Classified By: Economic Minister Counselor George White for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The GOI agreed to delist eight of the eighteen individuals identified in the Italy section of the Tranche 3 Names list and have requested more time to gather information on the remaining ten individuals. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On November 2, ECONOFF conveyed the Tranche 3 list of eighteen names (reftel) to an official in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and requested that the GOI review those individuals and either support delisting them or provide additional information to prevent them from being delisted. The official, responsible for Counter Terrorism and Counter Terrorist Financing, on 25 November confirmed that the GOI agrees to delist eight of the eighteen individuals. The GOI will continue to review the remaining ten names and will provide the USG with additional information on any individual it deems appropriate to continue to list under UNSCR 1267. ¶3. (C) The official stated that two of the eight individuals are actively cooperating with Italian intelligence authorities and the GOI fully supports delisting them. The two individuals Italy is most interested in delisting are: Riadh Jelassi (QI.A.71.02) and Al Azhar Ben Mohammed Bel El-Abed Al-Tlili (QI.A.77.02). ¶4. (U) The GOI has no objection to delisting the four individuals who are reportedly deceased and has no additional information regarding them: Habib Ben Ali Ben Said Al-Wadhani (QI.A.78.02),Lofti Ben Abdul Hamid Ben Ali Al-Rihani (QI.A.145.03),Ahmad Sa'id Al-Kadr (QI.K.4.01) and Muhsin Moussa Matwalli (Dewedaar) Atwah (QI.A.24.01). ¶5. (SBU) The GOI also supports the delisting of the following two individuals: Samir Abd El Latif El Sayid Kishk (QI.K.73.02) and Mohamed El Mahfoudi (QI.E.175.04). The Italian courts tried and acquited El Mahfoudi in February 2009 on charges of belonging to a criminal association with terrorist aims. Italy provided no additional information on El Sayid Kishk. ¶6. (C) The official stated that the GOI will continue to review the remaining ten individuals on the list and will provide the USG with additional information on any individual they determine should not/not be delisted. He stated that the review process is thorough, time consuming and involves several Italian government police and intelligence agencies. THORNE