Cable Identifies Prominent Saudi funder of Taliban, Ongoing Saudi Finance of Terror

[leveymg]

Cable 10Riyadh61: Taliban “receives significant funds … from donors in Saudi Arabia and the UAE”, http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2010/01/10RIYADH61.html

Saudi support for anti-U.S. terrorism isn’t exactly news, but this cable provides specific details regarding the role of leading Saudi and Gulf state figures identified by U.S. intelligence in the continued funding of Taliban and other militant groups involved in armed conflict with U.S. forces.

The cable also illustrates how and why significant flows of money continue to flow from wealthy donors, and the inadequate steps that the Saudi and Gulf state governments have taken to stop financial support by terrorist donors because of their high “social status.”

Real Significance of Cable 10Riyadh61:

It also shows the importance of Wikileaks in exposing the actual details of continuing support for terrorism by elites and how governments tolerate the activities of wealthy individuals, and how they continue to be shielded from consequences. In the nearly decade-long "Global War on Terrorism" few people at the top rungs -- in any country -- have ever been held publicly accountable or subjected to arrest and harsh penalties, even for serious crimes, such as funding terrorist groups. This cable shows the separate standard of justice in action, and why well-funded organized violence will continue. Support for terrorism by elites is tolerated by governments, including our own. At most, figures with "social status" are "pressed" in private, receive a stern talking-to, but are rarely if ever truly exposed and punished.

A cable dated January 11, 2010 names (XXXXXXXXXXX - redacted at site), a prominent Saudi, whose activities are described at para. 5-7 as follows:

. . . (S)enior Taliban officials travel to Saudi Arabia to discuss reconciliation issues, but said they also conduct fundraising activities while in the Kingdom. Mabahith (1) initially responded that Taliban reconciliation issues were handled by the GIP and stated that the Mabahith has very little insight or coordination with the GIP (2) in this area. After further discussion, Issa said that even if Taliban fundraisers travel to Saudi Arabia under the auspices of reconciliation, Mabahith officials would arrest anyone who breaks Saudi law while in the Kingdom.

¶6. (S/NF) Treasury analysts provided information on XXXXXXXXXXXX three senior Taliban officials who have made multiple fundraising visits to Saudi Arabia, according to U.S. intelligence. (NOTE: Information available to the USG and shared for this exchange included telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and passport information for crosschecking against Saudi customs databases. END NOTE.) Mabahith was not familiar with the individuals and pledged to follow up on the identifying information provided by GRPO and Treasury. GRPO and Treasury analysts also shared names and phone numbers of multiple Taliban and Haqqani (3) associates known either to reside in or travel to the Saudi Arabia.

¶7. (S/NF) Reviewing a list of several full or partial names of suspected Taliban donors in the Kingdom, Mabahith recognized XXXXXXXXXXXX, a prominent Saudi who reportedly gave XXXXXXXXXXXX $30,000 in September 2008. Mabahith had no information regarding XXXXXXXXXXXX’s financial contributions to the Taliban, but speculated that the money could have come from a trust or a charity that was associated with XXXXXXXXXXXX, rather than from XXXXXXXXXXXX himself. Mabahith pledged to investigate XXXXXXXXXXXX and stated that it would not hesitate to “press him” regardless of his social status.

(1) The Mabahith (Arabic: المباحث العامة‎, al-Mabahith al-'Amma, "General Investigation Directorate") is the secret police agency of the Saudi Ministry of Interior.
(2) The Ri'āsat Al-Istikhbārāt Al-'Āmah (Arabic: رئاسة الاستخبارات العامة?), or the General Intelligence Presidency, GIP (Arabic: رئاسة الاستخبارات العامة?), is the pre-eminent intelligence agency of the government of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
(3) The Haqqani network is an independent insurgent group in Afghanistan and Pakistan that is closely allied with the Taliban.<1> Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani along with his son Sirajuddin Haqqani lead the Haqqani network. The network is thought to present one of the biggest threats to NATO and United States forces in Afghanistan. <2> Following Wikileaks July 2010 publication of 75,000 classified documents the public learned that Siraj Haqqani was in the tier one of the International Security Assistance Force's Joint Prioritized Effects List -- its "kill or capture" list.

[HereSince1628]

1. This is what is wrong with Wikileaks...

It completely undermines the misuse of the government apparatus to serve the biased interests of the governing.

How could the NeoCons have exploited their Pearl Harbor? How could we have ever ruined Iraq if this stuff were public at the time?

[leveymg]

2. ;-)

Exactly.

[Ikonoklast]

3. Give them money to fight 'over there'.

Don't bring any trouble here, or no more money, and we *will* kill you.


Stay in the hinterland, and everything's fine.


It's a game of mutual extortion.