THREAT LETTER FROM "ISLAMIC JIHAD"

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 00415 TERREP E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PTER SY KU EG SUBJECT: THREAT LETTER FROM "ISLAMIC JIHAD" ¶1. (C-ENTIRE TEXT) - ¶2. EMBASSY ON JANUARY 25 RECEIVED LETTER QUOTED BELOW, PURPORTEDLY FROM ISLAMIC JIHAD. ENVELOPE BORE EGYPTIAN STAMP AND APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN POST- MARKED IN EGYPT. DATE OF POSTMARK WAS NOT LEGIBLE. LETTER WAS APPARENTLY A PHOTOCOPY. TEXT WAS NEATLY TYPED WITHOUT TYPOS AND DRAFTED IN GOOD, CORRECTLY- SPELLED ENGLISH. SIGNATURE LINE WAS TYPED ONLY, I.E., WITH NO HANDWRITTEN SIGNATURE. - ¶3. BEGIN TEXT: IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL TO AMERICAN POLICYMAKERS: YOU HAVE BECOME MORE FRANK AND IMPERTINENT IN DEMON- STRATING YOUR MALICIOUS HOSTILITY TOWARD MUSLIMS. YOU ARE NO LONGER SATISFIED WITH SUPPORTING AND PARTICI- PATING IN THE ISRAELI ZIONIST'S CRIMES AGAINST MUSLIMS IN THE ARAB WORLD. NOW UNDER THE COVER OF THE HYPO- CRITICAL SLOGAN OF ANTI-TERRORISM, YOU ARE MORE FRE- QUENTLY MAKING RECOURSE TO U.S. MILITARY MIGHT TO INITIATE AGGRESSION AGAINST THE MUSLIM ARABS. WE DELCARE WITH FULL RESPONSIBILITY THAT SUCH MISCHIEVOUS ACTIONS WILL NOT GO UNPUNISHED. RETRI- BUTION WILL BE UNMERCIFUL AND EVERYWHERE. THE AMERICANS WILL EXPERIENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME THE RIGHTEOUS ANGER OF THE MUSLIMS ON THEIR OWN TERRITORY. WE WILL STRIKE AT THE MOST VULNERABLE POINTS OF AMERICAN IMPERIALISM. OUR THREATS ARE NOT EMPTY WORDS| YOU HAVE ALREADY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING CONVINCED OF THIS. WE BLAME YOU BEFOREHAND FOR ANY VICTIMS AMONG AMERICAN CIVILIANS. YOU MUST BE AWARE THAT OUR ACTIONS ARE A RESPONSE TO YOUR POLICY OF TERRORISM AGAINST THE MUS- LIMS. WE ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE| ALLAH IS GREAT. -- ISLAMIC JIHAD END TEXT. ¶4. COMMENT: LETTER WAS PRESUMABLY POSTED A WEEK OR SO AGO IN CAIRO, AND WE DO NOT BELIEVE IT MARKEDLY CHANGES OUR SECURITY SITUATION HERE. NONETHELESS, WE WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS. WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF OTHER POSTS HAVE RECEIVED SIMILAR LETTERS. QUAINTON