US embassy cable - 85BEIRUT1725

UNCLAS BEIRUT 01725 
 
E.O. 12356:DECL:OADR 
TAGS:  PTER, PREL, LE 
SUBJECT:  FULL TEXT OF ISLAMIC JIHAD 17 MARCH STATEMENT 
 
1.  AP PROVIDED EMBASSY WITH FULL TEXT OF ISLAMIC 
JIHAD STATEMENT AS TELEPHONED MARCH 17 TO 
REUTERS AND AFP. 
 
2.  BEGIN TEXT: 
 
"THE ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION IN THE NAME OF GOD 
THE ALL MERCIFUL.  THE PUNISHMENT OF THOSE IS THE 
CURSE OF GOD, THE ANGELS AND ALL PEOPLE.  THE DETENTION 
OF TERRY ANDERSON, BRIAN LEVICK AND JERRY (GEOFFRY?) 
NASH COMES WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF OUR CONTINUING 
OPERATIONS AGAINST AMERICA AND ITS AGENTS.  WE ARE 
DEFINITE THAT ISLAMIC BEIRUT IS FULL OF AGENTS FROM 
ALL SIDES AND ACCORDINGLY WE ARE WORKING DAY AND 
NIGHT TO PURGE OUR REGION OF ANY SUBVERSIVE ELEMENT 
OF THE  MOSSAD, CIA OR ALLIED INTELLIGENCE 
AGENCIES.  WE ADDRESS A FINAL WARNING TO FOREIGN 
NATIONALS RESIDING  IN OUR ISLAMIC REGIONS TO 
RESPECT OUR HOSPITALITY AND NOT TO EXPLOIT THEIR 
PRESENCE AMONG US TO UNDERTAKE SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES 
AGAINST US.  ASSUMING THE PROFESSION OF A JOURNALIST, 
MERCHANT, INDUSTRIALIST, SCIENTIST AND RELIGIOUS 
MAN WILL FROM NOW ON BE OF NO AVAIL TO SPIES 
STAYING AMONG US.  THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED, AND THEIR 
PUNISHMENT IS WELL KNOWN.  ON THE OTHER HAND, WE 
LEARNED THAT SWITZERLAND IS PLANNING TO BUY WEAPONS 
AND PILOTLESS RECONNAISSANCE PLANES FROM THE 
ZIONIST STATE.  WE WARN BERNE AGAINST MAKING SUCH 
A STEP AS IT WILL REMOVE FROM IT ITS NEUTRAL 
CHARACTER AND THREATEN ITS INTERESTS, ESTABLISHMENTS 
AND NATIONALS THROUGHOUT THE ISLAMIC AND WESTERN WORLD." 
"WE HAVE DELAYED RELEASING THIS 
STATEMENT UNTIL THE THREE WERE TAKEN OUTSIDE BEIRUT." 
END TEXT. 
 
3.  INDIVIDUAL TAKING CALL SAID IT WAS FROM 
THE "USUAL" MAN WHO CALLED, SPEAKING LEBANESE 
ACCENTED ARABIC, ABOUT 1900 ON MARCH 17. 
 
BARTHOLOMEW