US embassy cable - 04STATE53180

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 053180 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2014 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, PTER, IS, IT 
SUBJECT: DEATH OF ABU ABBAS 
 
(U) CLASSIFIED BY NEA ASSISTANT SECRETARY BILL BURNS, 
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) PALESTINIAN TERRORIST ABU ABBAS DIED MARCH 8 OF A 
HEART ATTACK WHILE IN CPA CUSTODY IN BAGHDAD. ABU ABBAS 
DIRECTED THE HIJACKING OF THE ITALIAN CRUISE SHIP ACHILLE 
LAURO IN 1985, DURING WHICH AMERICAN CITIZEN LEON 
KLINGHOFFER, 69 AND WHEELCHAIR-BOUND, WAS KILLED AND HIS 
BODY DUMPED INTO THE SEA. ON SUNDAY, ABU ABBAS COMPLAINED 
OF CHEST PAINS AND WENT OF HIS OWN ACCORD TO THE PRISON 
MEDICAL FACILITY.  WHILE THERE HE HAD A HEART ATTACK; 
EFFORTS TO RESTART HIS HEART WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.  AN 
AUTOPSY IS SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW.  ABU ABBAS HAD NOT BEEN 
INTERROGATED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS PREVIOUS TO HIS ATTACK. 
HE HAD BEEN IN U.S. CUSTODY SINCE HIS CAPTURE ON THE 
OUTSKIRTS OF BAGHDAD ON APRIL 14, 2003. 
 
2. (C) DOJ HAS INFORMED THE KLINGHOFFER FAMILY OF ABU 
ABBAS' DEATH; CONGEN JERUSALEM HAS INFORMED THE 
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY; DOD HAS INFORMED THE ICRC WHICH HAS 
UNDERTAKEN TO INFORM ABBAS' FAMILY. 
 
3. (U) WE HAVE BEEN REFERRING PRESS INQUIRIES TO DOD. FOR 
YOUR INFORMATION, PROVIDED BELOW ARE THE DOD TALKING 
POINTS/PRESS GUIDANCE ON THE DEATH OF ABU ABBAS. 
 
BEGIN DOD TALKING POINTS: 
 
-- PALESTINIAN TERRORIST ABU ABBAS, ALSO KNOWN AS MOHMMAND 
ABBAS, DIED ON MARCH 8, 2004. INITIAL REPORTS INDICATE 
THAT HE APPARENTLY DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES MEDICAL EFFORTS 
TO REVIVE HIM WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 
WILL BE PROVIDED AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. ADDITIONAL 
INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. AN 
AUTOPSY WILL BE PERFORMED. 
 
-- U.S. FORCES HAVE HELD ABBAS SINCE HIS CAPTURE IN 
BAGHDAD ON APRIL 14, 2003. FOR MANY YEARS, SADDAM HUSSEIN 
HAD PROVIDED A SAFE HAVEN FOR ABBAS AND THE TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATION HE LED, THE PALESTINE LIBERATION FRONT. 
 
-- ABBAS PLANNED THE 1985 HIJACKING OF THE ITALIAN CRUISE 
LINER ACHILLE LAURO IN THE EASTER MEDITERRANEAN SEA. IN 
THE COURSE OF THAT HIJACKING, A WHEELCHAIR-BOUND AMERICAN 
CITIZEN, LEON KLINGHOFFER, WAS MURDERED. 
 
END DOD TALKING POINTS. 
 
POWELL