Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
85KUWAIT6483
1985-12-09 09:41:00
SECRET
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

ABU NIDAL AND THE BITAR ASSASSINATION

Tags:  PTER KU 
pdf how-to read a cable
O 090941Z DEC 85
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY
S E C R E T KUWAIT 06483 

TERREP EXCLUSIVE

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PTER KU
SUBJECT: ABU NIDAL AND THE BITAR ASSASSINATION

REF: A) STATE 371962; B) STATE 371963

S E C R E T KUWAIT 06483

TERREP EXCLUSIVE

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PTER KU
SUBJECT: ABU NIDAL AND THE BITAR ASSASSINATION

REF: A) STATE 371962; B) STATE 371963


1. SECRET ENTIRE TEXT.


2. DURING A CALL AT THE MFA ON 8 DECEMBER I PRESENTED
REFTEL B ANALYSIS AND ANNEX OF THE ABU NIDAL TER-
RORIST ORGANIZATION TO UNDERSECRETARY SULAIMAN MAJID
AL-SHAHEEN. POINTING OUT THE VICIOUS ATTACKS PER-
PETRATED BY ABU NIDAL'S GROUP OVER THE PAST YEARS I
STRESSED THE GRAVE THREAT THAT THE ORGANIZATION CON-
STITUTES FOR ALL OF US, PARTICULARLY MODERATE ARAB
STATES SUCH AS KUWAIT. I EMPHASIZED TO AL-SHAHEEN
THAT THE USG WOULD DO ALL IT COULD TO INTERDICT
TERRORIST ACTS AND URGED THE GOK TO COOPERATE WITH
US TO THIS END. I ASKED THE GOK TO USE ITS INFLUENCE
WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST TO DENY A
SAFE HAVEN AND FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR SUSPECTED
MEMBERS OF ABU NIDAL'S ORGANIZATION.


3. ABU NIDAL WAS OBVIOUSLY A TOPIC OF INTEREST TO
AL-SHAHEEN. TURNING TO THE MOST RECENT ACT BY ABU
NIDAL'S GROUP, THE ASSASSINATION OF AL-BITAR IN AMMAN
ON 14 NOVEMBER, AL-SHAHEEN INFORMED ME THAT THE PAL-
ESTINIAN ASSASSINS WERE FROM KUWAIT, HAD ATTENDED
BISHAR ROOMI SCHOOL, FAILED IN THEIR STUDIES, AND
THEN HAD BEEN RECRUITED BY THE GROUP, PRESUMABLY OUT-
SIDE OF KUWAIT. MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE NOTED THAT THE
GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN HAD APPROACHED THE GOK ON 7
DECEMBER WITH INFORMATION THAT DURING THE INTERROGATION
OF THE TWO PALESTINIANS THEY PROVIDED INFORMATION
ABOUT THE 1985 CAFE' BOMBINGS IN KUWAIT. AL-SHAHEEN
STATED THE GOK HAD DISPATCHED SOMEONE TO JORDAN
IMMEDIATELY TO FOLLOW UP THE INVESTIGATION OF A
CONNECTION BETWEEN ABU NIDAL AND THE BOMBINGS.


4. THE GOK REALIZES ALL TOO WELL THE THREAT THAT THE
ABU NIDAL GROUP POSES, NOW MORE THAN EVER. SHOULD
SUSPECTED TERRORISTS COME TO THEIR ATTENTION THEY
MAY BE WILLING TO SHARE THEIR INFORMATION WITH US.


QUAINTON