US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE1032

S E C R E T THE HAGUE 001032 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS(GLASS), S/CT(NAVRATIL, 
NEA/ARP(HEFFERNAN), EUR/ERA, EUR/UBI, IO/PHO(PEREZ) 
TREASURY FOR ZARATE AND OFAC/NEWCOMB 
JUSTICE FOR OIA/FRIEDMAN 
NSC FOR PETERS 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR LEGATT 
 
E.O. 12958: DNG: CO 04/15/2015 
TAGS: ETTC, PTER, NL, EUN 
SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: DUTCH RESPONSE TO 
PRENOTIFICATION OF ADDITIONAL HARAMAIN DESIGNATIONS 
 
REF: A. STATE 89240 
 
     B. THE HAGUE 834 
     C. STATE 71982 
     D. THE HAGUE 771 
     E. STATE 62199 
 
Classified By: Economic Counselor Richard Huff.  Reasons 1.5 (d) 
 
1. (S) Summary: The Netherlands confirms that it supports 
designation of the additional Al Haramain branches and will 
take complementary national action to ensure effective action 
in the interim period between the U.S. designation and its 
incorporation into EU regulations.  However, the GONL has 
proposed revisions (detailed below) to our SOC.  The Dutch 
have not yet decided to designate the mosque closely 
associated with the Amsterdam Al Haramain branch but may take 
action against it for inciting violence against homosexuals 
and women.  End Summary. 
 
2. (S) After holding (4/23) interagency consultations, the 
GONL has asked that the USG revise the draft Statement of the 
Case regarding designation of additional Al-Haramain branch 
offices (delivered by post to through Dutch Finance and 
Foreign Ministries on (4/23).  Dutch officials believe the 
U.S. draft sentence reading "Since 2001, Dutch officials have 
noted indications that the Al-Haramain branch in the 
Netherlands supported violence" overstates the available 
evidence to and public statements of Dutch officials on this 
matter.  The Dutch have proposed that the sentence be 
reworded to read "Since 2001, Dutch officials have confirmed 
that the Al Haramain Hunanitarian Aid Foundation located in 
Amsterdam is part of the larger Al Haramain network and that 
Al Aqil is the chairman of this foundation's board of 
directors."  The propose deleting the following sentence 
(begins with "Al Aqil is a board member..." in the U.S. draft 
text) as the fact that Al Aqil is a board member is now 
captured in the sentence before and while Dutch officials 
have noted possible connections between Al Aqil and the 
Bosnian branches of Al Haramain and BIF, they have not 
acknowledged connections between the Dutch Al Haramain branch 
per se and these other entities. 
 
3. (S) Dutch officials confirmed that the GONL will follow up 
the U.S. designation of the additional Haramain branches 
with immediate complementary national action --  at first by 
working informally with banks to ensure any possible 
transactions are made impossible through administrative and 
technical difficulties and then through invocation of their 
national sanctions law.  They do not expect to capture 
significant, if any, funds as a result of the designation as 
the Dutch chapter has been relatively inactive. 
 
4.  (S) The Dutch have not yet decided to designate the 
Al-Tawheed mosque/foundation which is closely associated and 
colocated with the Dutch Al Haramain chapter.  It is unclear 
whether the institutional linkages between the two 
organizations provide a sufficient basis for designation. 
However, Dutch authorities may (partly as a result of 
pressure from members of parliament and the Amsterdam city 
council) take legal action against  the mosque and/or its 
board of directors on the grounds that the mosque incites 
violence by selling literature calling for the murder of 
homosexuals, beating of "disobedient" wives, and female 
genital mutilation. 
 
5. (S/NF) Dutch officials also asked why the U.S. is 
designating only the foreign branches of Haramain and not the 
Saudi branches/headquerters.  Any information Washington 
agencies could provide in that regard would be greatly 
appreciated. 
SOBEL