US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA137

S E C R E T TEGUCIGALPA 000137 
 
SIPDIS 
 
TERREP 
 
PLEASE PASS TO DS/IP/WHA M. FLYNN, DS/ICI/PII M. POSILLICO, 
DS/DSS/CC, SE/OC/DS, DS/CR/CIL M. BAYER DS/ITA K HALL, 
DAVID REICH ONI 111/MARITIME OPS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: EXEMPT BECAUSE TERROR RELATED 
TAGS: ASEC 
SUBJECT: PHONE NUMBER LINKS BETWEEN M/V ABDUL RAHMAN 
REPRESENTATIVE HASSAN BACHACHA, AND POSSIBLE TERROR AND 
SMUGGLING GROUPS 
 
REF: A. 1. TEGUCIGALPA 02673 
 
     B. 2. TEGUCIGALPA 02657 
 
1 (S/NF) RSO Tegucigalpa, working with collection elements, 
has found a possible link between M/V Abdul RAHMAN  local 
representative Hassan Bachacha and terror and smuggling 
groups. 
 
2. (S/NF)  During the detention of the M/V Abdul Rahman and 
its crew, it was determined that Hassan Bachacha was the 
ships local representative. Bachacha is an employee of Wael 
Transport company INC. of Quebec Canada. Bachahca arrived in 
Honduras after the ship and crew had been detained to 
expedite the release of both from Honduran Authorities. At 
this time Bachacha is believed to still be in Honduras aboard 
the M/V Abdul Rahman.  The ship is still in port at Puerto 
Cortez.  (RSO note: Wael Ozor, the owner of Wael Transport 
has been identified in by U.S. Government reporting as being 
a possible al-qai'da sympathizer and having possible 
connections to Lebanese Hizbollah end note) 
 
3. (S/NF)  During local investigation, RSO was able to obtain 
the cell phone number that Bachacha used when he first 
arrived in Honduras. RSO received this information from a 
reliable source who has used this number to speak with 
Bachacha in the last month. 
 
4. (S/NF)  In January 2005, RSO requested number check on 
Honduran cell phone number, 504-377-3948, from other U.S. 
agencies. Preliminary results indicates a possible link to 
terrorists and smuggling groups in Lebanon and Honduras, 
respectively. 
 
5. (S/NF) Trace information indicates that the Honduran cell 
phone used by Bachacha placed a call to a phone number in 
Lebanon and a phone number in China. Preliminary checks 
indicate a link between the Lebanese number called, 
961-368-8844, to various numbers in the middle east connected 
to HAMAS and HIZBOLLAH. 
 
6. (S/NF)  The initial checks on the Chinese number called, 
864-527-61-2357, revealed that this number made numerous 
calls to known Honduran alien smugglers. 
 
7. (S/NF)  As in the past with Bachacha, there is no direct 
link between him and terrorists groups. Again it appears that 
an indirect link exists with known terror groups, as is the 
case with Wael Ozor and others in the Wael Transport Inc. 
 
8. (S/NF)  RSO will continue to work with other U.S. agencies 
to obtain more information as it becomes available. 
 
9. (S/NF)  All RSO's please share with representatives of all 
U.S. agencies abroad. 
 
10.(SBU)  POC for this case is ARSO Bill Stowell 
Pierce