US embassy cable - 05MADRID1880

UNCLAS MADRID 001880 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KPAO, KISL, SP 
SUBJECT: SPANISH REACTION TO NEWSWEEK'S RETRACTION OF KORAN 
DESECRATION STORY 
 
REF: STATE 90992 
 
1.  The Spanish media have given very prominent coverage to 
Newsweek's retraction of its Koran desecration allegation 
story.  All national and major regional broadcast and print 
media have made the retraction either the lead or one of the 
top three international stories in May 17 reports, including 
national television stations TVE (state-run), Antena 3, and 
TeleCinco, and major radio networks Radio Nacional 
(state-run), Radio Nacional, Radio SER (the ratings leader 
and usually anti-American), and COPE.  Elements of our 
talking points are included in all of the stories and most 
stories contain the USG's point of view; we are emphasizing 
the retraction with media and government officials as 
appropriate. 
 
2.  The Spanish dailies note that the White House is "angry" 
or "indignant" over the original story; most accounts state 
that the White House "pressured" Newsweek to retract the 
story.  The Newsweek retraction story, titled "Newsweek 
retracts report on Koran desecrations in Guantanamo; White 
House pressured the magazine to deny the report, not just 
apologize," was the lead in national daily-of-record El Pais. 
 Conservative daily ABC led with "Newsweek retracts article 
about offenses against the Koran after U.S. pressures; Bush 
Administration criticizes magazine for seriously harming U.S. 
image by accusing, without proof, desecrations against the 
Koran in Guantanamo."  Centrist daily El Mundo ran a 
ten-paragraph story titled "White House not satisfied with 
Newsweek's apologies."  The retraction was also the lead 
story in Barcelona-based La Vanguardia, although its 
sub-heading was "U.S. can't stop Islamic anger denying the 
desecration."  Most stories note that anger in the Islamic 
world over the initial allegations remains.  More critical 
media note that the U.S. image had already been severely 
damaged by the Abu Ghraib scandal and the issue of Guantanamo. 
 
3.  The Islamic Commission of Spain, the official 
representative of the Muslim community in Spain for 
negotiations with the GOS, issued a statement May 14 
condemning the desecration of the Koran by U.S. soldiers at 
Guantanamo Bay, as reported by Newsweek.  The statement calls 
the Guantanamo allegations a "new provocation" where it is 
necessary for Muslims "to react calmly, but firmly."  The 
text also criticizes "torture, maltreatment, and abuse" 
against Muslim prisoners at "Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and 
other sites," and talks of how the USG "lacks credibility" to 
investigate these abuses.  The Islamic Commission's official 
web site also reproduces the article "800 Days in 
Guantanamo," by Luis de Vega that contains allegations of 
U.S. soldiers desecrating the Koran.  Spanish dailies have 
widely covered worldwide reaction to claims by Newsweek of 
desecration of the Koran, but the Spanish Muslim community 
has not been involved in large-scale demonstrations during 
the past week.  Since the March 11 train bombings in Madrid, 
the Spanish Muslim community has generally kept a lower 
profile than other European Muslim communities.  The Islamic 
commission has not yet commented on Newsweek's retraction. 
Embassy is trying to contact the Islamic Commission to urge 
coverage of the retraction.  Poloff discussed talking points 
with Mustapha El M'Rabet, the President of the Association of 
Moroccan Immigrants and Workers (ATIME) and a leading voice 
on Islamic issues in Spain.  M'Rabet said he was aware of the 
press coverage, but that his organization would not issue any 
statement regarding the News