US embassy cable - 01ISLAMABAD648

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 000648 
 
DEPT FOR SA/PAB, S/CT, DS/ITA 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  2/06/11 
TAGS:  PTER, EAIR, PLO, PK 
SUBJECT:  UPDATE:  PAN AM HIJACKERS 
 
REFS:  2000 ISLAMABAD 6055 (B)  2000 ISLAMABAD 1120 
 
 
(U)  CLASSIFIED BY MICHELE J. SISON, DEPUTY CHIEF 
OF MISSION, FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C)  SUMMARY.  ALL FIVE PAN AM 73 HIJACKERS 
REMAIN INCARCERATED AT ADIALA PRISON, RAWALPINDI. 
A JANUARY 31 LAHORE HIGH COURT (RAWALPINDI BENCH) 
DEPORTATION HEARING CONSIDERED THE CASE OF 
HIJACKER SULIEMAN AL-TURKI ONLY.  ACTION ON AL- 
TURKI'S DEPORTATION REMAINS PENDING AS THE LIBYAN 
EMBASSY HAS NOT CONFIRMED THAT AL-TURKI IS A 
LIBYAN CITIZEN.  IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THERE WILL 
BE FURTHER MOVEMENT ON THIS CASE UNTIL AL-TURKI'S 
ATTORNEY FILES ANOTHER PETITION WITH THE COURT. 
THE DEPORTATIONS IN QUESTION WOULD BE BACK TO THE 
DEFENDANTS' CLAIMED COUNTRY OF ORIGIN -- NOT, AT 
THIS POINT, TO THE UNITED STATES TO STAND TRIAL. 
 
2.  (C)  (SUMMARY, CONTINUED)  MEANWHILE, AN 
INVESTIGATIVE TEAM FROM FBI'S WASHINGTON FIELD 
OFFICE ARRIVED ON JANUARY 30 TO CONTINUING THE 
INTERVIEWING OF WITNESSES AND FEDERAL 
INVESTIGATIVE AGENCY PERSONNEL WHO PARTICIPATED 
IN THE ORIGINAL PAN AM 73 INVESTIGATION.  THE 
TEAM WILL ALSO FOLLOW UP ON PREVIOUS FBI REQUESTS 
FOR ORIGINAL DOCUMENTATION AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE. 
 
3.   (C)  ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1986, SIX ABU NIDAL 
ORGANIZATION (ANO) TERRORISTS HIJACKED PAN AM 73 
IN KARACHI.  TWENTY-TWO PASSENGERS WERE KILLED 
AND 125 WOUNDED IN THE INCIDENT.  THE HIJACKERS 
RECEIVED THE DEATH PENALTY, WHICH WAS THEN 
REDUCED TO LIFE, AND THEN TO FOURTEEN YEARS (NOW 
COMPLETED).  ONE OF THE HIJACKERS DIED WHILE IN 
CUSTODY; THE OTHER FIVE -- SOULIEMAN AL TURKI, 
MUSTAFA HASSAN SAEED BOMER, MANSOOR AL-RASHID, 
MUHAMMAD ABDUL KHALIL HUSAIN AL-RAHAYAL AND JAMAL 
SAEED ABDUL RAHIM AL-FAHID -- REMAIN INCARCERATED 
IN ADIALA PRISON IN RAWALPINDI. 
 
4.  (C)  THE NATIONALITY OF SEVERAL OF THE 
HIJACKERS REMAINS IN QUESTION.  BOMER HAS BEEN 
IDENTIFIED AS A JORDANIAN NATIONAL, AND WE 
UNDERSTAND THAT DEPORTATION DISCUSSIONS ARE 
UNDERWAY WITH THE GOJ.  THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBYA 
HAS NOT YET ACCEPTED AL TURKI'S CLAIM THAT HE IS 
A LIBYAN.  AL TURKI'S JANUARY 31 LAHORE HIGH 
COURT (RAWALPINDI BENCH) DEPORTATION HEARING WAS 
THUS STYMIED; WE EXPECT AL TURKI'S LAWYER TO FILE 
ANOTHER PETITION FOR RELEASE/DEPORTATION (TIMING 
UNKNOWN).  THE REMAINING THREE HIJACKERS CLAIM TO 
BE PALESTINIAN, A CLAIM THAT THE PALESTINIAN 
EMBASSY HAS THUS FAR REPORTEDLY REJECTED. 
 
5.  (C)  THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN IS AWARE OF 
THE USG'S INTEREST IN THE FUTURE PROSECUTION OF 
THE FIVE HIJACKERS.  WE HAVE RAISED THE ISSUE 
WITH INTERIOR MINISTER HAIDER A NUMBER OF TIMES, 
AND HE HAS DIRECTED HIS MINISTRY TO ASSIST US 
WITH OUR REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE AND 
WITNESS ACCESS RELATED TO DEVELOPING THE CASE. IN 
ADDITION, AT THE EMBASSY'S REQUEST, INTERIOR 
MINISTRY DEPUTY SECRETARY (POLITICAL) HUSSAIN 
CHAUDRY BRIEFED US ON FEBRUARY 1 ON THE AL-TURKI 
DEPORTATION HEARING (ONE OF CHAUDRY'S OFFICER HAD 
BEEN ASSIGNED TO ATTEND THE HEARING). 
 
6.  (C)  THE JANUARY 31 HEARING HAD BEEN SPURRED 
BY A PETITION FILED BY AL TURKI'S ATTORNEY 
SEEKING IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM CUSTODY (THE 
DEFENDANT HAS NOW SERVED TIME IN EXCESS OF 14 
YEARS).  THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN'S 
REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED THE COURT THAT THE 
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS WAS WORKING WITH THE 
GOVERNMENT OF LIBYA TO ARRANGE FOR SOULIEMAN'S 
DEPORTATION.  THE GOP REPRESENTATIVE ALSO 
INFORMED THE JUDGE THAT CONSULAR ACCESS HAD BEEN 
GRANTED TO THE LIBYAN EMBASSY TO MEET WITH THE 
DEFENDANT, ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBYA HAD 
NOT YET CONFIRMED AL TURKI'S CITIZENSHIP. 
ACCORDING TO MINISTRY OF INTERIOR OFFICIALS, THE 
JUDGE APPARENTLY DID NOT SPECIFY A TIMEFRAME IN 
HIS RULING, BUT INSTRUCTED THE GOVERNMENT OF 
PAKISTAN REPRESENTATIVE TO WORK TO EXPEDITE AL 
TURKI'S DEPORTATION. 
 
7. (C) THE FBI HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO PROCESS THE 
HIJACKERS FOR PHOTOGRAPHS AND FINGERPRINTS.  THE 
GOP HAS COOPERATED IN LOCATING AND ARRANGING 
INTERVIEWS OF A NUMBER OF THE GOP WITNESSES.  THE 
GOP HAS PROVIDED THE FBI WITH A CERTIFIED COPY OF 
THE CASE PROPERTY, THE FIRST INFORMATION REPORT 
(FIR) PREPARED ON THE CASE, AND AN UNSIGNED COPY 
OF A JOINT STATEMENT BY THE HIJACKERS. 
 
8. (C)  THE VISITING FBI WASHINGTON FIELD OFFICE 
TEAM CONTINUES IN ITS EFFORTS TO SECURE (A) 
COMPLETE COPIES OF INTERROGATION REPORTS PREPARED 
BY THE PAKISTANI INTER-SERVICES INTELLIGENCE 
DIRECTORATE (ISID) FOR EACH OF THE FIVE 
HIJACKERS; (B)  A CERTIFIED COPY OF THE TRIAL 
TRANSCRIPT; (C)  A CERTIFIED COPY OF THE COURT 
RECORD; (D) INDIVIDUAL STATEMENTS OF THE FIVE 
HIJACKERS; (E)  A DUPLICATE VIDEOTAPE TAKEN OF 
THE CRIME SCENE; (F)  LEGAL COMMENTS MEMORANDUM 
DATED 9/6-9/87; AND (G) MEMORANDUM OF LEGAL 
ADVISOR JAMSHED HAMID. 
 
9.  (C) THE VISITING SPECIAL AGENTS HAVE ARRANGED 
A MEETING WITH ADIALA PRISON AUTHORITIES THIS 
WEEK TO PURSUE THEIR INVESTIGATION. 
 
 
MILAM