US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1493

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001493 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT; NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958:   DECL: 08-26-13 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PINS, PGOV, KISL, MV, Maldives, Human Rights 
SUBJECT:  Maldivian police review visit to detainee at 
Guantanamo Bay in meeting with the Charge' 
 
Ref:  Colombo 1481, and previous (Notal) 
 
(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Charge' 
d'Affaires.  Reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1.  (S/NF) SUMMARY:  In an August 26 meeting with 
Charge', two Maldivian police officials reviewed their 
recent visit to Guantanamo Bay to interview a Maldivian 
national detained there.  The officials said they did 
not/not believe the detainee was connected with 
terrorism, but noted that there were some loose ends 
that still needed to be tracked down.  Pending the final 
results of their investigation, they said the GoRM would 
consider next steps.  The GoRM is very appreciative of 
the access they have had to the detainee.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (S/NF) VISIT TO GUANTANAMO:  In an August 26 meeting 
with the Charge', two Maldivian police officials, Major 
Ibrahim Latheef, Assistant Commissioner of Police, and 
Lt. Ahmed Faseeh, reviewed their August 21 visit to 
Guantanamo Bay.  DATT, polchief, and poloff joined in 
the meeting.  In the Guantanamo detention center, the 
police officials, who were accompanied on the trip by 
DATT, interviewed Ibrahim Fouwzy, a Maldivian national 
detained at the facility. 
 
3.  (S/NF) INTERVIEW WITH DETAINEE:  Based on their 
interview with the detainee and other information, the 
Maldivian police officials said their tentative 
conclusion was that Fouwzy did not/not have links to 
terrorism.  They indicated that Fouwzy seemed to have 
been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time when he 
was detained by Pakistani authorities while studying in 
Pakistan.  Based on information which has been 
corroborated, Fouwzy said he was residing briefly in an 
apartment whose owner apparently had a tertiary 
connection to an individual who had connections to Al- 
Qaida/Taliban elements.  After being detained by the 
GoP, he was rendered to U.S. authorities who brought him 
to Bagram airbase in Afghanistan and then to Guantanamo. 
Fouwzy told the police officials that he did not 
subscribe to Islamic extremist thinking and he expressed 
sadness about the September 11, 2001, attacks.  Re 
domestic Maldivian politics, Fouwzy indicated that he 
was not/not a supporter of President Gayoom. 
 
4.  (S/NF) SOME QUESTIONS REMAIN:  The Maldivian police 
told the Charge' that they still have a few outstanding 
questions regarding Fouwzy's account of events, 
especially related to his travel from the Maldives to 
Pakistan via Kenya in early 2000.  Fouwzy transited 
through Kenya, staying there approximately 10-12 days 
while waiting to obtain a Pakistani government No 
Objection Certificate (NOC).  Fouwzy claimed that he 
traveled to Kenya to get the NOC, as he was unable to 
get one in Sri Lanka, although his Maldivian traveling 
companions were able to receive the necessary travel 
documents in Sri Lanka.  (Note:  The Pakistani High 
Commission in Male apparently does not issue the 
requisite NOC's.)  In addition to the question re the 
NOC, Maldivian police said they also wanted to know from 
where Fouwzy obtained the funds for his air ticket to 
Kenya, which was 1,200 USD.  The Maldivian officials 
said they were somewhat puzzled by this string of events 
and the fact that Fouwzy claimed not to remember his 
activities during his time in Kenya. 
 
5.  (S/NF) NEXT STEPS:  Major Latheef, who did most of 
the talking for the Maldivian team, told the Charge' 
that he intended to report the results of the visit to 
his government and then complete the investigation into 
the remaining issues.  The GoRM would then finish 
evaluating the case and would, at that time, possibly 
consider a formal request to the U.S. for Fouwzy's 
return.  Responding to Charge's question about possible 
criminal charges, the Maldivians told us Fouwzy would 
not likely face any charges should he be returned to the 
Maldives.  They said the government would carefully 
monitor his activities if he was sent back to the 
Maldives, however. 
 
6.  (S/NF) COMMENT:  The Maldivian government has been a 
strong supporter of the international campaign against 
terrorism and seems to be approaching this matter with 
the utmost seriousness.  In his 25 years in power, 
President Gayoom's regime has been no friend of 
extremism, locking up a number of Maldivians who it 
felt strayed too far from the GoRM-imposed moderate 
Islamic orthodoxy.  The Maldivian police team expressed 
their deep appreciation to the U.S. for allowing access 
to Fouwzy, noting that the detainee said he had been 
very well treated by the U.S. authorities.  They also 
relayed the gratitude of Abdul Sattar Anbaree, Minister 
of State for Defense and National Security, and Dr. 
Ahmed Shaheed, Permanent Secretary of the MFA.  END 
COMMENT. 
7.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
ENTWISTLE