US embassy cable - 05CAIRO8938

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 008938 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR THE DIRECTOR FROM THE AMBASSADOR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2015 
TAGS: PTER, KCRM, PREL, EG, OVIP, Visits 
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR FBI DIRECTOR MUELLER'S VISIT TO 
EGYPT 
 
Classified by Ambassador Francis Ricciardone for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
Director Mueller, 
 
1. (C) Thank you for including Cairo in your travel to the 
Middle East.  Your visit presents an opportunity to review 
and upgrade our law enforcement/intelligence cooperation with 
the Egyptians.  The CIA already has a strong and growing 
relationship with the Egyptian Intelligence Service (EGIS). 
We would like the FBI to establish a similarly robust and 
productive partnership with the State Security Investigative 
Service.  The Ministry does not yet recognize the benefit for 
their side of enhanced ties with the FBI.  But leaders like 
Omar Soliman and especially President Mubarak, with whom we 
hope you will be able to meet, have the vision and influence 
to overcome these reservations.  On our side, we should be 
ready with concrete proposals to kick start new levels of 
practical cooperation.  Exchange of forensic and biometric 
data and associated upgrades of Egypt's capabilities in this 
field could provide a good beginning. 
 
2. (C) The return of the specter of terrorism in Egypt in 
late 2004, following seven years of safety is seen here as a 
wake-up call to the Egyptian security forces.  Interior 
Minister El Adly, and State Security Director Hassan, -- you 
will meet both -- have now seen three major terrorist 
incidents on their watch: 
 
-- The bombing of three resorts in the Sinai, October 2004 
-- The bombing at a major Cairo tourist market, April 2005 
-- The Sharm el-Sheikh bombing, July 2005; 
 
3. (C) El Adly may lose his job over the Sharm bombings as 
well as the mis-management of the current Parliamentary 
elections.  As a result, you may find the Egyptians more 
receptive to a U.S. initiative to upgrade our law-enforcement 
cooperation. 
 
4. (C) One specific area of cooperation that I understand is 
under consideration is sharing of fingerprint and other 
biometric data on suspected terrorists and other criminals. 
This could involve training and equipment upgrades for 
Egyptian personnel. This is a terrific initiative.  In 
addition, you should urge State Security Director Hassan to 
bring a high level delegation to Washington to visit FBI HQ 
and the Quantico training facilities early in 2006.  Once he 
sees what the FBI can offer and establishes some personal 
contact, he will be more forthcoming with intelligence 
cooperation on their side.  I hope you will also consider 
offering to continue and ideally expand training 
opportunities for Egyptian personnel at the FBI Academy. 
 
 
5. (C) Your arrival in Egypt coincides with the end of a 
month-long series of parliamentary elections, in which the 
outlawed but tolerated Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has made 
substantial gains.  The elections have been conducted in 
three rounds.  The final run-offs will be held on 
December 7.  The ruling NDP will retain the super majority it 
needs to control the legislative agenda, but with the MB 
holding as much as 20 percent of the seats, atmospherics and 
tone of debate will probably change dramatically. 
 
6. (C) The Egyptians have a long history of threatening us 
with the MB bogeyman.  Your counterparts may try to suggest 
that the President,s insistence on greater democracy in 
Egypt is somehow responsible for the MB,s electoral success. 
 You should push back that, on the contrary, the MB,s rise 
signals the need for greater democracy and transparency in 
government.  The images of intimidation and fraud that have 
emerged from the recent elections favor the extremists both 
we and the Egyptian government oppose.  The best way to 
counter narrow-minded Islamist politics is to open the 
system.  The FBI could serve as a resource and partner ) if 
indeed you are willing -- in professionalizing the Egyptian 
security services and modernizing their investigative 
techniques.  This would enhance the credibility of the 
security apparatus and remove an arrow from the Islamists, 
quiver. 
 
7. (C) At the end of the day, we believe you can best pitch 
your visit as a serious effort to enhance our law enforcement 
cooperation.  Both sides are absolutely committed to 
defeating violent extremists, and both sides can take more 
tangible steps toward meeting this goal. 
 
 
RICCIARDONE