VZCZCXRO0586
OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1685 1400512
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 200512Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8188
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASH DC PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 0030
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4079

UNCLAS KABUL 001685 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR HARRIMAN 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL PHUM AF
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF HAJJ AND ENDOWMENT FRIENDLY TO 
COALITION PRESENCE 
 
REF: KABUL 1478 
 
¶1. On May 19, Ambassador paid a courtesy visit to 
Minister of Hajj and Endowment (sometimes referred to 
as Minister of Hajj and Islamic Affairs) Nehmatullah 
Shahrani.  Minister Shahrani, who dictates and 
distributes themes for Friday sermons to those mosques 
and religious leaders officially registered with the 
Ministry (a minority of all Afghan mosques), is a 
moderate.  A former student of comparative law at 
George Washington University, he indicated 
friendliness toward the foreign military presence, 
support for counternarcotics efforts, and an anti- 
Taliban sentiment. 
 
¶2. Ambassador and Minister Shahrani discussed the 
recent incident in Jalalabad in which a young Afghan 
woman seriously injured during a coalition operation 
against the Taliban was transported without a male 
relative or local elder by Coalition forces for 
medical treatment at Bagram (Ref).  Local elders were 
infuriated by this action and deemed it contrary both 
to Islam and to Afghan customs.  Given that the 
woman's life was in danger, Minister Shahrani said her 
transport was not inconsistent with the principles of 
Islam.  He said only local tradition and 
interpretation created the tension and public outcry. 
He told the Ambassador that he is doing all he can to 
calm and educate people regarding the issue.  In 
addition, Ambassador and Minister Shahrani discussed 
the Islamic themes that might have resonance in the 
counternarcotics campaign in Afghanistan. 
WOOD