(U) KUDOS AND FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS FOR REPORTING

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 130972 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/24/2034 TAGS: PINR MU SUBJECT: (U) KUDOS AND FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS FOR REPORTING ON IMAM GHALIB'S DEATH (C-ME9-02527) REF: MUSCAT 001061 Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND APPRECIATION FOR MUSCAT 001061 ON IMAM GHALIB'S DEATH. REFTEL PROVIDED INSIGHT ON THE EXTENT IBADHISM -- THE MAJORITY SECT OF ISLAM IN OMAN -- MIGHT BE THE BASIS FOR ANY POLITICAL MOVEMENTS, AND ON THE ROLE IBADHISM PLAYS IN LEGITIMIZING OR POTENTIALLY UNDERMINING THE CURRENT REGIME. POST,S TIME AND RESOURCES PERMITTING, WE WOULD WELCOME BROADER INSIGHTS INTO THE EXTENT THE POPULATION VALUES RELIGION IN EVERYDAY LIFE, AND ANY INFORMATION ON THE POLITICAL ROLE RELIGIOUS FIGURES PLAY IN OMAN, PARTICULARLY HOW SULTAN QABOOS USES RELIGION/IBADHISM TO LEGITIMIZE HIS RULE. PLEASE FIND BELOW SOME SPECIFIC TOPICS AND QUESTIONS THAT ARE OF GREAT INTEREST TO ANALYSTS. MANY THANKS, AND REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON. ¶A. (C) DETAILS ON THE OMANIS WHO VISITED IMAM GHALIB DURING HAJJ, INCLUDING ANY AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON HOW MANY VISITED, WHO THEY WERE, THEIR RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS, THE NATURE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH IMAM GHALIB, AND ANY OTHER DETAILS. ¶B. (C) PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS ON GHALIB'S SONS, PARTICULARLY RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS WITH POLITICAL OR CHARITABLE GROUPS. ¶C. (C) DID ANY OF THE 31 OMANI ISLAMISTS CONVICTED IN 2005 -- ALLEGEDLY FOR TRYING TO RE-ESTABLISH THE IMAMATE -- IDENTIFY A POTENTIAL IMAM CANDIDATE? WHO HAS THE OMANI GOVERNMENT IDENTIFIED AS A POTENTIAL IMAM CANDIDATE? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-ME9-02527 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON