(U) MOHAMMED EL FAZAZI'S RENUNCIATION OF

S E C R E T STATE 120771 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2034 TAGS: PINR GM MO SUBJECT: (U) MOHAMMED EL FAZAZI'S RENUNCIATION OF VIOLENCE (C-NC9-02281) REF: EUP20091026301024 Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) NATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER (NCTC) ANALYSTS IN THE RADICALIZATION AND EXTREMIST MESSAGES GROUP (REMG) ARE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING THE FACTORS THAT PROMPTED LONG-STANDING RADICAL CLERIC MOHAMMED EL FAZAZI TO RENOUNCE THE USE OF VIOLENCE. ANALYSTS VIEW EL FAZAZI'S PUBLIC REPUDIATION OF VIOLENCE AS A POTENTIAL COUNTERWEIGHT TO EXTREMIST MESSAGES IN EUROPE AND IN NORTH AFRICA, AND SEEK ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO INFORM THEIR ANALYSIS, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. ¶A. (U) WHAT FACTORS PROMPTED EL FAZAZI TO REJECT VIOLENCE IN GERMANY? ¶B. (U) SINCE WHEN HAS EL FAZAZI BEEN MOVING TOWARD REJECTING VIOLENCE? WERE THERE ANY INDICATIONS HE WAS MOVING TOWARD REPUDIATING THE USE OF VIOLENCE? ¶C. (S/NF) WAS EL FAZAZI'S PUBLIC RECANTATION ENCOURAGED BY MOROCCAN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS? IF SO, IN WHAT WAYS? ¶D. (S/NF) WHAT, IF ANY, IS THE EXTENT OF GERMAN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS' PARTICIPATION IN EL FAZAZI'S RECANTATION? ¶E. (U) WHAT PEOPLE, WRITINGS, OR EVENTS IN THE MOROCCAN PRISON INFLUENCED EL FAZAZI'S RECANTATION? FOR EXAMPLE, DID EL FAZAZI COME IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE IN THE MOROCCAN PRISON SYSTEM THAT PERSUADED HIM TO CHANGE HIS MIND, SUCH AS A FELLOW PRISONER OR A VISITING IMAM? ¶F. (U) HOW MUCH OF A FOLLOWING DOES EL FAZAZI CONTINUE TO HAVE IN GERMANY, PARTICULARLY IN HAMBURG, AS WELL AS IN MOROCCO, SUCH AS IN HIS HOMETOWN TANGIER? DOES HE ALSO HAVE INFLUENCE OVER OTHER MOROCCAN DIASPORAS ACROSS EUROPE? ¶G. (U) HOW HAVE MUSLIM RADICALS REACTED TO EL FAZAZI'S REVERSAL? ARE THEY PLANNING TO RESPOND TO EL FAZAZI'S OPEN LETTER? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-NC9-02281 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON