US embassy cable - 03SANAA2004

S E C R E T SANAA 002004 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EB/ESC/ESP (GGLASS), S/CT (SFOX), NEA (DIBBLE), NEA/ARP 
(HEFFERNAN), I0/PHO (APEREZ), TREASURY GENERAL COUNSEL 
(DAUFHAUSER) TREASURY (JZARATE) OFAC (RNEWCOMB) AND 
TREASURY TASK FORCE ON TERRORIST FINANCING 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2013 
TAGS: PREL, ETTC, EFIN, PTER, CVIS, KVPR, YM, TERFIN, COUNTER TERRORISM 
SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: TIMING OF ZINDANI DESIGNATION 
VIS A VIS MOAYED EXTRADITION 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 172268 
     B. SANAA 1587 
     C. SANAA 1879 
     D. SANAA 1945 
     E. SANAA 1971 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Alan G. Misenheimer for reasons 1.5 (b 
 and d) 
 
1.  (U)  This is an action request.  See paragraph 4. 
 
2. (S/NF) Post understands that the German Constitutional 
Court has indicated it will issue a decision to extradite 
Sheikh Mohammed Ali Hassan al-Moayed and his colleague 
Mohammed Mohsen Yahya pending the answers to questions posed 
to the USG.  However, the timing of the announcement of the 
decision remains unknown.  Best estimates of German officials 
and Amembassy officers in Sanaa are that Sheikh al-Moayed 
could be extradited to the United States within several weeks. 
 
3. (S/NF) From conversations with the Department, Post 
further understands that declassification procedures for the 
statement of case to designate Sheikh Abdul Magid Zindani 
(refs a and b) are near completion.  We have been told that 
we can expect a pre-notification cable to designate Zindani 
by the end of August. 
 
4. (S/NF) Comment/Action request: Post fully supports the 
designation of Zindani, and has pre-briefed the issue and 
received initial indications of ROYG support (ref b).  The 
al-Moayed case, in contrast, remains extremely sensitive in 
Yemen and presents significant political costs for the ROYG 
(refs c, d and e).  Sheikh Zindani does not enjoy the same 
level of general public support as al-Moayed.  However, 
should Zindani's designation be announced at or near the time 
of al-Moayed's extradition, we anticipate a heightened 
negative public reaction due to a perceived linking of the 
two cases.  This reaction would be exacerbated if the Moayed 
extradition decision came before the Zindani designation. 
The government's need to manage this reaction could lead to 
decreased political will to fully support and implement 
Zindani's designation.  Therefore, Post requests that the 
Department consider completing Zindani's designation as 
rapidly as possible -- immediately if feasible -- to distance 
it from the expected al-Moayad decision and maximize ROYG 
support.  End Comment/Action request. 
MISENHEIMER