US embassy cable - 05SANAA1314

UNCLAS SANAA 001314 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARPI, NEA/P, NEA/PA NEA/PD, SA/PPD 
NEA/P FOR GSULLIVAN AND RSHORE 
NEA/PD FOR CWHITTLESEY 
NEA/ARPI FOR TROBERTS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, PREL, KISL, YM 
SUBJECT: OUTREACH FOLLOWING NEWSWEEK'S RETRACTION OF ITS 
STORY ALLEGING KORAN DESECRATION AT GUANTANAMO 
 
REFS: A. STATE 88240 
 
      B. SANAA 1305 
      C. STATE 90992 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  Post has used both bilateral discussions and 
public diplomacy to counter the now retracted Newsweek 
article alleging the desecration of the Koran at Guantanamo 
Bay, Cuba.  Bilateral efforts have included a meeting 
between the Ambassador and President Saleh, as well as with 
the Ministers of the Interior and Human Rights. Public 
Diplomacy efforts include distributing a post-generated op- 
ed for placement in all major media outlets.  END SUMMARY 
 
2.  On May 14, Ambassador met with President Saleh and noted 
that the USG considers the recent allegations that 
Guantanamo interrogators may have desecrated the Holy Koran 
to be an extremely serious matter.  Ambassador noted 
Secretary Rice's and SecDef's official repudiation of the 
 
SIPDIS 
alleged behavior and that the U.S. Military would conduct an 
immediate and complete investigation.  He assured the 
President that such an act would be abhorrent, repugnant, 
and contrary to the fundamental belief in freedom and 
respect for all religious groups upon which our nation was 
founded. The meeting and statement were reported extensively 
in the local press (ref B.) 
 
3.  On May 15, the same points were reiterated to the 
Minister of Human Rights Amat al-Alim Soswa and Minister of 
Interior Rashad Mohammad al-Alimi in separate meetings. 
 
4. On May 17, PD drafted a statement from the Embassy for 
distribution to all major local media outlets. The statement 
praised Yemeni restraint and fairly balanced reporting 
during and after the release of the Newsweek report. It also 
noted that Newsweek had retracted the story, that to date 
nothing has been found to substantiate the allegation, that 
the U.S. government will investigate all credible 
allegations of misconduct, and that the U.S. condemns all 
acts of violent protest. It also expressed U.S. sympathies 
to those injured and to the families of those killed in the 
protests in Afghanistan. 
 
KRAJESKI