US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI3391

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 003391 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ARPI, S/CT, DS/ITA, DS/IP,NEA, 
INR/NESA 
NSC FOR JUAN ZARATE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PINS, ASEC, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE THINK TANK PAINTS ROSY PICTURE ON TERROR 
VULNERABILITY 
 
REF: A. ABU DHABI 3264 
 
     B. ABU DHABI 3299 
     C. ABU DHABI 3243 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) Summary: An editorial by a quasi-governmental Abu 
Dhabi think tank asserting that the UAE is "an island 
isolated from terrorism" because of its "alert and advanced" 
security services appears to be part of an effort to attempt 
to reassure investors, tourists, and residents that the UAE 
remains a safe place.  Despite measures already being taken 
to protect against terrorist attacks, the editorial 
recommends further "preventive measures" to increase the 
security of critical infrastructure and public places, and 
enlists the media, academia, Shari'a scholars, and religious 
officials to play a greater role in promoting moderation and 
rejecting extremism.  The editorial, issued by the Emirates 
Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), comes in 
the wake of a Bloomberg News story about an Islamist Web site 
threat message against the UAE (ref A).  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) The ECSSR editorial, published July 29 in the 
semi-official "Al Ittihad," lists the reasons why the UAE has 
not been a target of terrorism despite being "in an 
environment full of attacks and explosions."  The reasons 
include "the alert and advanced" security services in the 
UAE, "who know exactly their role and perform it fully." 
The editorial comes on the heels of a July 24, Bloomberg News 
story of a threat message against the UAEG that had been 
posted on the Islamist Web site "Al Sakifah."  After the 
Bloomberg News story appeared, a UAEG source publicly 
dismissed the threat as "baseless statements" and "absurd", 
and said that the UAE's "preventive measures are there to 
ensure security and stability." 
 
3. (C) The ECSSR also attributes the UAE's safety and 
stability to the lack of "internal or sectarian tensions," 
which are factors behind terrorism in many countries.  The 
internal dissension that generates violence, extremism, and 
terrorism in some countries is non-existent in the UAE, 
according to the editorial.  The editorial refutes 
speculation that the UAE faces the danger of terrorism due to 
its large expatriate population. (Note: Eighty-five percent 
of the UAE,s 4.2 million residents are expatriates, 
including 1.3 million Indians, 450,000 Pakistanis, 150,000 
Afghans, and sizable populations of Egyptians, Palestinians, 
Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans, Filipinos, and Iranians.  Emirati 
officials have told us in the past that they view the large 
number of expatriates as a potential security risk.  End 
note.)  The editorial contrasts the quiet political and 
social discourse in the UAE with the discourse in some 
countries "faced with waves of violence and terrorism." 
 
4. (U) The ECSSR editorial also notes that the religious 
discourse in the UAE "adopts a clear and moderate message, 
which concentrates on condemning terrorism and promoting 
security, and calls for moderation, tolerance, and mercy, the 
keynotes of Islam and a method for Muslims. ... The message 
also rejects all forms of extremism in logic and conviction." 
 The ECSSR's statements mirror recent Friday sermons crafted 
by the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs condemning 
terrorist violence and warning those responsible for terror 
attacks that their actions will have dire consequences (ref 
B).  The editorial also credits the UAE's safety to its 
charitable organizations and their "transparent humanitarian 
message" at home and abroad. 
 
5. (C) The editorial recommends that the UAE take "preventive 
measures" to protect against terrorism, including monitoring 
"abnormal behavior" by visitors or transit passengers 
traveling to countries "witnessing continuous terrorist 
actions."  The report also called for greater security 
awareness by officials responsible for the security of 
utilities, restaurants, hotels, and public places.  As we 
noted in ref C, many of these measures are being implemented, 
but the UAE,s homeland security strategy lacks a coherent 
approach, and relies more on acquisition of state-of-the-art 
technology aimed primarily at detecting suspicious 
individuals and activities. 
 
6. (U) The editorial calls on the local media to "focus on 
rejection of violence and prejudice, and to show the nature 
of the country's interaction with the outside world, its 
positive collaboration with the just Arab and Islamic 
causes."  The ECSSR said it is important to "repeat actions 
that reveal to the general public the opinion of Shari'a 
scholars and leaders who reject violence and extremism, and 
who reveal the negative impacts and serious consequences of 
violence and terrorism on individuals and societies.  There 
is a necessity to raise the level of religious discourse that 
is directed toward cleaning thoughts and ideologies from 
extremism.  It is also important for the media, discussion 
programs, and opinion leaders in this society to open 
extremism and terrorism files more courageously, and to 
handle such an issue mentally, religiously, socially, and 
culturally." 
 
7. (C) Comment: UAE officials have told us they are aware of 
their security vulnerabilities and have implemented select 
measures to try to protect their critical infrastructure and 
borders.  However, the quasi-governmental ECSSR appears to 
lack a clear understanding of the depth of the UAE's 
vulnerability.  The ECSSR was, until two years ago, a 
government think tank under the direct supervision of Sheikh 
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MbZ).  While MbZ, who is now 
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and President Khalifa's national 
security adviser, remains its chairman of the board, the 
organization has recently attempted to present itself as an 
independent think tank.  End comment. 
SISON