GOI OPPOSES DELISTING NINE UNSCR 1267 TRANCHE 4

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000061 SENSITIVE SIPDIS EEB/ESC/TFS FOR GBANSAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2020 TAGS: EFIN IT KTFN PREL PTER SUBJECT: GOI OPPOSES DELISTING NINE UNSCR 1267 TRANCHE 4 NAMES REF: STATE 131661 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. After reviewing the fourteen UNSCR 1276 Tranche 4 names of interest to Italy (reftel),the GOI has no objection to delisting five of the names but, based on investigations carried out by the Special Operational Group Carabinieri (ROS),opposes delisting the remaining nine individuals. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) ECONOFF met with an official in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on 11 January to review the fourteen names of interest to Italy on the UNSCR 1267 Tranche 4 list. The official stated that the GOI has no objection to delisting the five names detailed in paragraph 3 because they have no information, culpatory or exculpatory, on those entity/individuals and co-sponsored their inclusion on the UNSCR 1267 list solely as a cooperative gesture to the USG. However, the nine individuals listed in paragraphs 4-12 were originally sponsored by Italy and the GOI opposes delisting any of them at this time. ¶3. (SBU) According to the official, the GOI has no objection to delisting the following Tranche 4 entity/individuals: (QE.W.65.01) Waldenberg AG; (QE.Y.66.01) Youssef M. Nada; (QI.B.217.06) Abu Bakar Ba,Asyir; (QI.G.218.06) Gun Gun Rusman Gunwan; (QI.R.219.06) Taufik Rifki. He emphasized that the GOI does not have enough information on these entity/individuals to make an informed decision and if the sponsoring government decides to delist them, Italy will support that decision. ¶4. (C) (QI.A.74.02) Tarek Ben Habib Ben Al-Toumi Maaroufi. Maaroufi was re-arrested in June 2009 for failure to comply the with the conditions of his parole. Based on an investigation by the ROS, the GOI feels that Maaroufi should not/not be removed from the UNSCR 1267 list. ¶5. (C) (QI.A.94.03) Mondher Ben Mohsen ben Ali Al-Baazaoui. This individual was investigated by the ROS in the framework of the "Vento di Guerra" operation. According to the ROS, Al-Baazaoui was a member of a cell in the Algerian Islamic Armed Group (GIA) operating in Bologna, Italy. This group "provided terrorist organizations in North Africa and European countries with logistical support, promoted a jihadist ideology among Muslims living in Italy and developed activities to persuade some of them to attend training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan." He is currently under indictment by Bologna's Court of Appeal for participation in a criminal organization with "subversive aims". A trial date of April 1, 2011 has been set. The GOI opposes de-listing Al-Baazaoui. ¶6. (C) (QI.A.98.03) Ibrahim Ben Hedili ben Mohamed Hamami. The ROS "Vento di Guerra" operation determined that Hamami was also a member of the GIA cell in Bologna and, therefore, the GOI opposes de-listing him. ¶7. (C) (QI.D.95.03) Dumont Lionel. Lionel, currently under custody in France, was found by the ROS "Vento di Guerra" operation to have entered Italy using false documents for the purpose of recruiting people to send to Afghanistan for the Bologna cell of GIA. The GOI opposes de-listing Lionel. ¶8. (C) (QI.E.96.03) Moussa Ben Amor Ben Ali Essaadi. The ROS "Vento di Guerra" operation identified Essaadi as a member of the Bologna GIA cell. The GOI has provided a long list of criminal offenses committed by Essaadi but his active membership in GIA is the only terror related offense. The GOI opposes de-listing him. 9> (C) (QI.J.100.03) Mounir Ben Habib Jarraya. Habib Jarraya was investigated by the ROS during their "El Tahqiq" operation due to his membership in the Islamic organization, "Al Takfir Wal Hijra". This organization, located in the Islamic Center of Bologna allegedly supported fugitives from the "Vento di Guerra" operation. In addition, Habib Jarraya was found to be an active member of the Bologna cell of the GIA. The GOI opposes de-listing Habib Jarraya. ¶10. (C) (QI.J.99.03) Khalil Ben Ahmed Ben Mohammed Jarraya. Mohammed Jarraya was a member of the "Taibah International Aid Association," reputed to give logistical support to terroist cells, in Bosnia and a member of "Al Takfir Wal Hijra" in Bologna. He was also found, by the ROS "Vento di Guerra" operation to be an active member of GIA. The GOI opposes de-listing Mohammed Jarraya. ¶11. (C) (QI.R.103.03) Ahmed Hosni Rarrbo. The ROS "Vento di Guerra" operation determined that Rarrbo is an active member of GIA and was also, in 1996, a member of the "Ouadah Group"; a group, believed by the Dutch to be the source of illegal trafficking on behalf of the Algerian GIA. The GOI opposes de-listing Rarrbo. ¶12. (C) (QI.S.105.03) Nedal Mahmoud Saleh. The ROS "Vento di Guerra" operation also determined that Saleh was a member of the Bologna cell of the GIA. The GOI opposes de-listing Saleh. The MFA official stated that the GOI believes that the British Government has originated the request to de-list Saleh, who now lives in London. He further stated that, if the USG or the British Government can provide information to the GOI showing that Saleh is now cooperating with either government, the GOI will withdraw its opposition to de-listing Saleh. ¶13. (C) Comment. Each of the nine individuals whom the GOI opposes de-listing was the subject of the ROS "Vento di Guerra" operation. This operation targeted the Bologna cell of the Algerian GIA and broadly described their activities as: "providing terrorist organizations operating in North Africa and European Countries with logistical support; helping fugitives; promoting jihadist ideology among Muslims living in Italy, and developing radicalization activities in order to persuade some of them to attend training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan; spreading in Italy and abroad GIA documents, like 'Al Fajr' magazine, linked to Osama Bin Laden;". The balance of the charges against each of the individuals are criminal complaints such as, receiving stolen goods, forged documents, counterfeiting and possessing illegal weapons. When ECONOFF questioned the MFA official about this, the official stated that "the non-terror related crimes served to finance the GIA terror activities." End comment. THORNE