US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT777

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000777 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, INR/R/MR 
 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH 
FOREIGN PRESS CENTER/ASILAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, PREL, KMDR, SOCI, OIIP, MU, Public Affairs 
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: ALLEGATIONS OF QUKRAN 
DESECRATION 
 
 
------------------------- 
Print and Broadcast Media 
------------------------- 
 
1. The three major Arabic-language dailies in Oman - the 
government-owned "Oman" and the privately-owned "Al Watan" and 
"al-Shabiba" - all carried reports of alleged Quran desecration 
by U.S. military interrogators at Guantanamo Bay.  Front-page 
coverage of the allegations appeared in the Thursday May 12 and 
Saturday May 14 editions of the newspapers, while the story was 
relegated to the inner pages of Friday's editions.  The 
reporting, originating from foreign news agencies such as AFP and 
Interfax, has been predominantly neutral and factual, focusing on 
the Afghan demonstrations and other reactions; most articles 
mention that the U.S. military is currently investigating the 
charges.  To date, no editorials have appeared in any Omani 
newspapers regarding the alleged incident. 
 
2. The Embassy is unaware of any Omani radio or television 
coverage of the allegations. 
 
------------- 
Online Forums 
------------- 
 
3. Discussions of the alleged desecration also began appearing in 
the Internet message board "Al Sablah" over the local Thursday- 
Friday weekend.  The Embassy will report in greater detail on 
these online discussions septel. 
 
----------------- 
Popular Reactions 
----------------- 
 
4. Local Embassy staff and Omani contacts report that discussion 
of the alleged Quran desecration in Guantanamo has been a hot 
topic around dinner tables and in coffee houses since the story 
spread on May 12.  A Foreign Ministry contact said he was unaware 
of any formal discussion of the matter within his ministry, but 
confirmed that his friends and associates outside the ministry 
were both angered and deeply offended by the reports.  Noting 
that one negative story can undo many otherwise positive efforts 
on the part of the USG, he expressed hope that the U.S. military 
would take decisive action to prevent such abuses in the future. 
 
---------------- 
Embassy Response 
---------------- 
 
5. Secretary Rice's May 12 statement regarding the allegations, 
as well as relevant excerpts from A/S Boucher's May 11 State 
Department Briefing, have been posted on the Embassy's website in 
both English and Arabic.  We are also preparing a diplomatic note 
to the Foreign Ministry, explaining the situation and the actions 
the U.S. government is taking to address these allegations. 
 
BALTIMORE