VZCZCXYZ0037
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBM #0157/01 0441602
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131602Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6026
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0095
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC

UNCLAS BUCHAREST 000157 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR L, EUR/NCE AARON JENSEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC PGOV PREL MARR KJUS IZ RO
SUBJECT: COMMUNICATION FROM ROMANIAN MINISTRY OF JUSTICE ON 
MUNAF CASE 
 
REF: A. BUCHAREST 104 
     ¶B. 06 BUCHAREST 1686 
     ¶C. 06 BUCHAREST 1883 
 
¶1. (U)   ACTION REQUEST: Post received a note dated February 
2, 2007 from the Romanian Ministry of Justice International 
Law and Treaty Department seeking assistance in AmCit 
Mohammad Munaf's case.  It represents a follow-up to request 
for assistance in reftels A and C.  Post seeks guidance from 
Department, other agencies in responding to this latest Munaf 
request. 
 
¶2. (U)   Below is the translation of Note. 
 
ROMANIA 
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE 
INTERNATIONAL LAW AND TREATIES DEPARTMENT 
 
To, 
THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN BUCHAREST 
FYI, 
THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
THE GENERAL DEPARTMENT FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
THE DIRECTION FOR MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA 
 
The Ministry of Justice salutes the Embassy of the United 
States of America and has the honor to request to speed up 
the answer to our nota verbale no. 133431/2006 of December 
29, 2006. 
 
Thus, the embassy is requested to communicate the following: 
 
¶1. If U.S. authorities agree to the hearing by 
videoconference, as a defendant, of U.S. and Iraqi citizen 
Mohammad Munaf, for committing the crimes of initiating an 
association with the purpose of committing terrorist acts as 
well as of financially supporting this association, 
(incriminated by art. 35, para 2, Law 535/2004) and 
complicity to terrorism acts (incriminated by art. 26, 
Criminal Code; art. 32, para 1 and 2, Law 535/2004;  art. 189 
para 1 and 2 of the Penal Code), acts for which he was 
indicted by the General Prosecutor,s Office, High Court of 
Cassation and Justice, Direction for Investigation of 
Organized Crime and Terrorism together with defendant Omar 
Hayssam. 
 
¶2. The standpoint of the U.S. authorities with regard to the 
request of hearing by videoconference of Mr. Munaf as a 
witness, in the criminal file no. 33970/2005 registered with 
the Bucharest Court of Appeal, Criminal Section I. 
 
In case of an affirmative answer, the embassy is kindly asked 
to communicate a date for the two hearings in the two files, 
so that the courts can set the dates for the respective 
hearings, as well as contact information for the U.S. 
officials who will help with the technical support. 
 
Also, the Ministry of Justice requests the embassy to express 
its standpoint with regard to a new hearing by 
videoconference of Muhammad Munaf as a witness in the 
criminal file no. 5708/2005 registered with the Bucharest 
Tribunal, Criminal Section I regarding the defendants Omar 
Hayssam, Omar Mohamad and Qasim E. Esa for the crimes of 
associating with the goal of committing fraud.  The hearing 
was programmed for June 28, 2007; we, therefore, request the 
embassy to analyze the possibility of the videoconference 
hearing of Mr. Munaf as a witness at the set date or earlier. 
 
Please see in the Annex the request for international 
judicial assistance of the Bucharest Tribunal, Criminal 
Section I in the file no. 5708/2005, addressed to the Iraqi 
authorities. 
 
Because the above requests refer to organized crime and 
terrorism acts and are urgent, the Ministry of Justice kindly 
requests that the embassy,s answer is given in a reasonable 
time limit. 
 
Also, please let us know, in due time, if any supplementary 
information is needed so that, on the date of the hearings, 
all the official procedures are fulfilled. 
 
The Romanian Ministry of Justice sends its appreciation for 
the provided help and uses this occasion to present its 
highest regards. 
 
Bucharest, February 2, 2007 
 
End Text 
TAPLIN