1267: ITALY REQUESTS U.S. INFO ON TERRORISM

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000474 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2019 TAGS: ETTC PREL EFIN KTFN PTER UNSC SUBJECT: 1267: ITALY REQUESTS U.S. INFO ON TERRORISM LISTINGS Classified By: Amb. Alex Wolff for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) This is an action request -- please see para 6. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: The Italian UN mission has requested updated information from the United States about five individuals whom Italy proposed for designation in the 1267 al-Qaeda/Taliban Sanctions Committee. The 1267 Committee recently solicited Italy's opinion about these designations as part of a larger exercise to review all names that have been designated under the 1267 sanctions regime. Without this information, Italy appears likely to tell the Committee that these entries are no longer appropriate and should be delisted. Italy anticipates more requests in the future for this kind of information, especially on designations dating back several years. The Italian mission has therefore requested a mechanism -- either in New York or via Embassy Rome -- to share such information regularly. Based on this request and other conversations, USUN assesses that Italy is likely to submit many delisting requests in the context of the 1267 Committee's comprehensive review. USUN requests guidance on how to respond to Italy's request for more information on these individuals and to establish a mechanism to share regularly such information in the future. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (C) On May 5, the Italian mission asked the USUN Sanctions Unit for updated information about five individuals (see para 6) whom Italy proposed for designation in the 1267 al-Qaeda/Taliban Sanctions Committee in 2002. Italian mission adviser Stefano Mogini said the Committee recently solicited Italy's opinion about these designations as part of a larger exercise to review all names that have been designated under the 1267 sanctions regime. Mogini said the Committee requested a response by May 25. (NOTE: In June 2008, the Security Council directed the Committee in resolution 1822 to review the approximately five hundred names on the Consolidated List by June 30, 2010. Per agreed procedures, the Committee routinely asks designating states to provide an opinion and any additional information on a designation. The Committee then reviews this information and makes its own determination whether to retain a name on the Consolidated List. END NOTE). ¶4. (C) Mogini explained that Italy had requested U.S. information on these entries because Italian authorities had "no recent information whatsoever" about them. Italy proposed most of these names, he added, as co-designators with the United States or other partners. According to Mogini, Italy expects the Committee to ask Italy's opinion on several more batches of designations, many of which Italy has little or no updated information in its files. He requested some mechanism -- either in New York or via Embassy Rome -- for routinely sharing information on these cases to help Italy respond to these requests. ¶5. (C) USUN pressed Mogini over whether Italy would, as a matter of policy, automatically propose delisting these names if the United States was unable to provide additional information. Mogini replied that, without any new information, "it will indeed be very difficult for Italy to confirm that a listing remains appropriate, especially for old cases dating back seven or eight years." ¶6. (C) COMMENT/ACTION REQUEST: Based on this request and other conversations, USUN assesses Italy will likely propose many delisting requests in the context of the 1267 Committee's comprehensive review. As a designator or co-designator of nearly one hundred names (more than any other country except the United States, UK and Russia), Italy's approach the comprehensive review will affect the overall course of this exercise. Italy, which has faced domestic litigation on 1267 designations, is particularly sensitive to the need to remove the outdated and poorly-justified designations that have undermined the overall legitimacy of the regime. USUN requests guidance on how to respond to Italy's request for more information on these five individuals and to establish a mechanism to share regularly such information in the future. END COMMENT. ¶7. (C) BEGIN TEXT OF ITALY NON-PAPER: ¶1. Khalid Al Fawaz (QT.A.59.02),born in Kuwait 8.24.1962, listing requested by the G7 Countries - listed on 4.24.2002; ¶2. The Aid Organization of Ulema (QE.A.73.02) - listing requested by G7 Countries - listed on 4.24.2002 (unified on 10.21.2008 with Al Rashid Trust (QE.A.5.01),listed request by the U.S. on 10.6.2001); ¶3. Abdelkader Mahmoud Es Sayed (QI.E.65.02),born 12.26.1962 in Egypt - intelligence reported his dead (sic) in Afghanistan in 2002 - convicted on 2.2.2004 by the Court of Milan 8 years imprisonment; ¶4. Thaer Mansour (QI.T.26.02),born in Baghdad - U.S. and Italy's listing request 9.3.2002; ¶5. Jemaah Islamiyah (QE.J.92.02),Australia's listing request supported by E.U. Countries. //END TEXT OF ITALY NON-PAPER// Rice