US embassy cable - 04KUWAIT3413

UNCLAS KUWAIT 003413 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MOPS, PREL, IZ, EG 
SUBJECT: NOTIFICATION OF PRESUMPTIVE DEATH OF THREE 
EGYPTIAN DRIVERS IN IRAQ 
 
 1.  (U) Embassy Kuwait received a letter from Major General 
Gary D. Speer, Deputy Commanding General of the Coalition 
Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC), requesting post's 
assistance in resolving the cases of three Egyptian drivers 
presumed to have been killed while driving in Iraq (text in 
para 2).  CFLCC is asking for Government of Egypt (GOE) help 
in providing death certificates for the three men, so that a 
death benefit of approximately $34,000 may be paid to each 
man's next-of-kin.  We will pass the letter to the Egyptian 
Embassy in Kuwait.  We would also request that Embassy Cairo 
relay the text of the letter to their interlocutors in the 
GOE. 
 
2.  (U)  BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER. 
 
September 15, 2004 
 
Department of the Army, Coalition Forces Land Component 
Command 
United States Army Central Command 
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait 
 
Office of the Deputy Commanding General 
 
Matthew H. Tueller 
Charge d'Affaires 
Embassy of the United States of America 
Kuwait City, Kuwait 
 
Dear Mr. Tueller: 
 
Thank you for the Country Team's continued support of the 
Coalition Forces Land Component Command.  Embassy involvement 
in the foreign national driver crisis has been critical in 
moving this issue forward.  As a related matter, request your 
assistance in the cases of three Egyptian drivers who were 
killed in action while driving in Iraq for our host nation 
contractors. 
 
Missing since April 11, 2004, Egyptian truck drivers, Mr. 
Ibrahim Moussa, PP Number 792387, and Galal El Sayet Osman, 
PP Number 488960, worked under United States Army Contract 
Number W912D1-04-D-0001 for Ahamadah General Trading and 
Contracting Company.  Also, Habshy Elsayed, PP Number 
1438858, worked under United States Army Contract Number 
W912D1-04-D-004 for IAP, Incorporated and has been missing 
since April 26, 2004. 
 
These men have been missing since the convoys they were 
traveling in came under hostile fire from anti-coalition 
forces.  Although their bodies were not recovered, the nature 
of the attack and the extent of the damage to these 
individuals and their vehicles were such that they are 
presumed to be dead.  Our deepest sympathy and sorry is 
respectfully given to their families. 
 
These drivers' employment contracts provided for a death 
gratuity in the amount of 10,000 Kuwaiti Dinar per person. 
Request assistance with the Egyptian Embassy in obtaining 
Government of Egypt death declarations (death certificates) 
for these men, so the death gratuities can be provided to 
their next of kin. 
 
Respectfully, 
Gary D. Speer 
Major General, US Army 
Deputy Commanding General 
LeBaron