US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO2009

S E C R E T COLOMBO 002009 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT; NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  11-20-13 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PINS, PGOV, KISL, MV, Human Rights 
SUBJECT:  Maldivian government requests return of 
national detained at Guantanamo 
 
Ref:  Colombo 1493 (Notal) 
 
(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Deputy Chief of 
Mission.  Reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1.  (S/NF) This is an Action Request -- Please see 
Para 3. 
 
2.  (S/NF) On November 18, Mission received a letter 
dated November 5 from the Maldivian government 
requesting the release and return to the Maldives of 
Ibrahim Fauzee (or Fouwzy), a Maldivian national 
detained at Guantanamo (see Para 4 for text of the GoRM 
letter).  In addition to requesting Fauzee's release, 
the letter (addressed to the DCM) thanked the U.S. for 
its assistance in arranging an August visit by Maldivian 
government personnel to Guantanamo to interrogate 
Fauzee.  In a readout with DCM following their August 
visit (see Reftel), the Maldivian officials expressed 
their assessment that Fauzee had not/not been involved 
in terrorist-related activities, although they said they 
needed to check out some of the information Fauzee had 
relayed to them in Guantanamo before reaching a 
definitive conclusion about him and possibly requesting 
his return.  The GoRM has now evidently completed that 
investigation and concluded that Fauzee poses no threat. 
 
3.  (S/NF) ACTION REQUEST.  Mission requests 
Department's guidance on how to respond to the Maldivian 
government's request for release of Fauzee.  END ACTION 
REQUEST. 
 
4.  (S/NF) The Maldivian government's letter follows: 
 
Begin Text: 
 
5 November 2003 
 
Dear Mr. Entwistle, 
 
With reference to our discussion about the possibility 
of securing the release of Mr. Ibrahim Fauzee, the 
Maldivian national who is being held at Guantanamo Bay, 
Cuba, I would like to convey to you that the Government 
of Maldives would be very pleased if Mr. Fauzee could be 
released and allowed to return to the Maldives. 
 
In this regard, I wish to thank you very much for all 
the assistance rendered to the two officials from the 
Ministry of Defense and National Security, who went to 
the US to meet with relevant US authorities and with Mr. 
Ibrahim Fauzee. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
/signed/ 
Ahmed Shaheed 
Permanent Secretary 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Male', Maldives 
 
End Text. 
 
5.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
LUNSTEAD