C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 004911


LONDON FOR TUELLER, PARIS FOR LEAF

E.O.: 12958: DECL: 09/23/06
TAGS: PREL PTER SY IS
SUBJECT: LIST OF HAMAS MEMBERS ACTIVE IN SYRIA


1. THIS MESSAGE CONTAINS AN ACTION REQUEST IN PARA 5.


2. (U) CLASSIFIED BY CDA MARJORIE RANSOM, REASON: 1.5
(B) AND (D).


3. (C) IN A RECENT DISCUSSION ON TERRORIST GROUPS
PRESENT IN SYRIA, A MIDLEVEL OFFICIAL OF THE SOCIALIST
UNITY PARTY (STRICTLY PROTECT) GAVE US A LIST IN ARABIC
OF MEMBERS OF HAMAS ACTIVE IN SYRIA. HE GAVE US NO
OTHER INFORMATION ON THESE PERSONS' ACTIVITIES OR
POSITIONS IN HAMAS OR WHETHER THEY ARE STILL PRESENT IN
SYRIA. COMMENTS BY THE SAME CONTACT ON IRANIAN ARMS
TRANSFERS TO HIZBALLAH AND THE WHEREABOUTS OF PKK
LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN ARE REPORTED SEPTEL.


4. THE FOLLOWING IS AN INFORMAL EMBASSY TRANSLATION OF
THE SIXTEEN NAMES ON THE LIST:

ABDEL AL-RAHMAN MUTLAQ 'ABD AL-MAHDI
MAHMOUD SALEH JABER
'ARIF KHALIL ABU 'EID
RASIL MUHAMMAD GHARAIBA
RAJAH AL-KURDI
MUHAMMAD ABU FARIS
HAMAM 'ABD AL-RAHIM S'AID
MUHAMMAD 'AMRO
MUHAMMAD 'EID AL-SAHIB
YASIN DARAWKA
AL-'ABD KHALIL ABU 'EID
MUHAMMAD AL-MAJALI
MUHAMMAD NABIL TAHER
DIYAB 'AQL
SULTAN 'AQILIYA (OR 'AQAILEH)
SALAH 'ABD AL-FATAH AL-KHALDI (OR AL-KHALIDI)


5. WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THIS CONTACT FOR FURTHER
DETAILS AND ATTEMPT TO VERIFY THE INFORMATION ON THIS
LIST. ACTION REQUEST FOR WASHINGTON: PLEASE ADVISE
WHETHER ANY OF THE NAMES ON THIS LIST ARE KNOWN MEMBERS
OF HAMAS. END ACTION REQUEST.

RANSOM