US embassy cable - 90KUWAIT4871

S E C R E T KUWAIT 04871 
 
E.O. 12356 DECL OADR 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KU, IZ 
SUBJECT: TFKU01: CONTACT WITH KUWAITI RESISTANCE 
 
1. EMBASSY RECEIVED A FAX THIS MORNING, AUGUST 28, FROM "A KUWAITI 
CITIZEN" PROPORTING TO REPRESENT THE KUWAITI RESISTANCE.  THE FAX 
WAS ON LETTERHEAD FOR "TECHNICAL CENTRE FOR COMPUTER CONSULTING AND 
SERVICES".  PAGE TWO OF FAX WAS ON LETTERHEAD OF "UNIVERSAL BUREAU 
FOR ECONOMIC CONSULTANT".  NEITHER LETTERHEAD GAVE PHONE NUMBER OR 
ADDRESS, ALTHOUGH FAX NO. FOR TECHNICAL CENTER WAS WRITTEN IN AS: 
2423952.  NO FAX NUMBER WAS GIVEN FOR THE UNIVERSAL BUREAU, EMBASSY 
WAS ALERTED THAT NEXT FAX WOULD BE ON THAT LETTERHEAD. 
 
2. TEXT OF FAX MESSAGE:  I AM CONTACTING YOU ON BEHALF OF DAVID MAC 
(SIC) AND MR. KOBAIY (COVEY?) FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
OF U.S. WHOM ALREADY TALKED TO THE AMBASSADOR (SIC).  I HAVE BEEN 
ASKED TO CONTACT YOU CONCERNING WEAPONS.  PLEASE REPLY TO THIS FAX 
(5759348) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. (SIGNED) KUWAITI RESISTANCE, FOLLOWED 
BY ILLEGIBLE ARABIC SIGNATURE.  END TEXT.  FAX WAS SENT TO THE 
ATTENTION OF "MRS. BARBAR BOADIEN". 
 
3.  COMMENT:  WE PRESUME THIS FAX COMES FROM ONE OF SAUD NASSER'S 
CONTACTS, BUT WE HAVE NO REASONABLE WAY TO CONFIRM THAT.  WE FIND IT 
DISTURBING THAT A MESSAGE AS OVERT AS THIS WAS SENT VIA FAX LINES. 
WHILE THE IRAQIS MAY HAVE LIMITED CAPABILITY TO INTERCEPT FAXES, 
SINCE THEY PROHIBIT THEM IN IRAQ, WE CANNOT DISCOUNT THAT 
POSSIBILITY OUTRIGHT.  WE ALSO FIND IT DISTURBING THAT THREE USG 
OFFICIALS, ONE STILL IN KUWAIT, ARE IDENTIFIED AS CONTACTS WITH THE 
RESISTANCE ON WEAPONS. 
 
4. ACTION REQUEST:  WE STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT SAUD NASSER BE ADVISED 
TO HAVE HIS CONTACTS CEASE FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS OF THIS SORT, AT 
LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING.  AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME, SUCH 
COMMUNICATIONS ONLY JEOPRADIZE THOSE SENDING, AND THOSE RECEIVING, 
THE MESSAGES TO NO PRACTICAL EFFECT.  SO LONG AS THIS EMABSSY IS 
SEALED OFF TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, WE CANNOT HELP OR BE HELPED BY 
THOSE OUTSIDE.  SHOULD THERE BE GENERAL DISORDER, THEN PERHAPS THE 
ACTIVE ASSISTANCE FROM AND PROTECTION BY LOCAL ELEMENTS WOULD BE 
USEFUL AND PRACTICAL, BUT NOT NOW.  TO BE HONEST, AT THIS STAGE WE 
ARE MORE IN NEED OF FUEL OR A COVERT POWER LINE INTO THE EMBASSY 
COMPOUND THAN ANYTHING ELSE. 
 
 
HOWELL