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DE RUEHLO #5956 2261703
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O 141703Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8259
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0767

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 005956 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS YORKS, EUR/PGI REASOR, EUR/UBI ROY, 
S/CT KUSHNER, 
TREASURY FOR MENDELSOHN 
NSC FOR HINNEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2016 
TAGS: ETTC KTFN PTER PREL EU UK
SUBJECT: TERRORISM FINANCE: UK DOES NOT INTEND TO REQUEST 
UN DESIGNATION FOR TERROR PLOTTERS 
 
REF: 8/11 LONDON DAILY REPORT 
 
Classified By: Economic Counselor Sandra Clark for reasons 1.5 (b) and 
(d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: The UK does not intend to request a UN 1267 
designation in the short term for the nineteen suspects 
associated with the failed aircraft terror plot whose assets 
were frozen by the Bank of England on August 11 (reftel). 
According to HM Treasury officials, the decision not to 
pursue a UN designation stems from a desire not to overburden 
the UK security services and from indications that the 
nineteen individuals do not have any assets overseas. End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) According to Patrick Guthrie, Head of the Financial 
Sanctions Unit at HM Treasury, the government has decided not 
to pursue an immediate UN 1267 designation of the 19 
individuals whose assets were frozen by the Bank of England 
on August 11 (for a complete listing, see 
http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/ 
financialsanctions/sanctions060811.pdf).  According to 
Guthrie, the UK's Terrorism Finance Action Group decided not 
to pursue a UN designation at present for two reasons. 
First, it was decided that preparing the statements of case 
for a UN designation would put too much strain on the 
security services' limited resources.  He added that their 
energies were better directed at further investigating the 
foiled plot in the hope of uncovering additional leads.  In 
this regard, Guthrie noted that the designation was based on 
domestic legislation implementing UNSCR 1373 which allows the 
Chancellor to order the freezing of assets based on 
"reasonable grounds to suspect" links to terrorism.  A UN 
designation would require the security services to 
demonstrate a link to al-Qaeda -- something that might not be 
easy in the context of the rapidly evolving investigation. 
Second, Guthrie said that, based on an initial review, HMG 
was not aware of any of the designated individuals having any 
assets overseas, meaning that a UN designation would have 
limited operational value. 
 
¶3. (C) Guthrie added that a decision not to pursue a UN 
designation now did not mean that the UK would not seek one 
in due course.  He also said that he was quite pleased that 
the "UK has in place a proactive regime that allowed it to 
react so quickly and to make a real difference." 
 
Visit London's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm 
Tuttle