VZCZCXYZ0009
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMD #2239 3481241
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141241Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3947
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS MADRID 002239 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR MAJ ANDREW BRINKMAN, PM/ISO 
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS NWC CAPT TOM HALE, DR. MIKE MAZARR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KISL MARR MOPS SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN WELCOMES PROPOSED NWC FIELD STUDIES ON ISLAM 
 
REF: A. STATE 160184 
 
     ¶B. MGEN STEEL - AMB AGUIRRE LETTER OF NOVEMBER 13 
     ¶C. LLORENS-PEARSON-MAZARR E-MAILS 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  U.S. Mission Spain warmly welcomes the May 
2008 proposed thematic trip on Islam in the West and is 
pleased to comment on the feasibility of such a program in 
Spain.  Home to nearly one million Muslims, most of them 
immigrants, Spain is an ideal destination for subject study 
tour.  According to the second annual Muslim survey released 
December 10 by the Spanish Ministries of Justice, Interior, 
and Labor and Social Affairs, four out of five Muslims in 
Spain feel integrated.  Upwards of 80 per cent of those 
surveyed reported no obstacle to practicing their religion 
and felt completely or pretty well adapted to Spanish 
culture.  Muslims who reported liking Spain "well," "very 
well," or "pretty well," numbered three quarters of those 
polled.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Post proposes a program that would focus on the 
aspects of Islam as an immigration issue here, including 
increasing sensitivity of Spanish authorities to the threat 
of radical Islam among disenfranchised populations.  The 
United States enjoys excellent counter-terrorism cooperation 
from Spain.  Having fought Basque terrorists for four 
decades, Spain is no stranger to terrorism on its soil.  As a 
result of the March 2004 Madrid train bombings carried out by 
al-Qaeda sympathizers, as well as Spain's proximity to the 
Maghreb and geographic position as the gateway to Europe, 
Spain understands the potential for and the dangers of 
Islamic radicalism.  Time permitting, briefers could include 
Spanish government officials who have oversight of religious 
entities within the Ministry of Justice, security officials 
in the Ministry of Interior, integration experts at the 
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, NGOs with 
multi-cultural emphases, and academics.  Post's Muslim 
Engagement Working Group (MEWG) recommends and can facilitate 
contact with the Muslim community in Madrid.  Field trips 
outside of Madrid could include Cordoba, for background on 
the historic presence of Islam in Spain, reachable as a day 
trip, and/or Barcelona -- a regional capital facing the 
challenges of cultural integration of Muslim immigrant 
communities.  Barcelona is home to approximately 60,000 
Pakistani immigrants alone, the majority of them 
unaccompanied male heads of household. 
 
¶3. (U) As we move forward in coordinating such a program, 
Post would appreciate additional information.  It would be 
helpful to know the number of program days available.  In 
addition, please advise whether there will be funding 
available for interpretation.  Please note due to language 
barriers (many Muslim leaders do not command Spanish, much 
less English) and local circumstances, lack of such 
translation could severely curtail worthwhile contacts and 
programming. 
 
¶4. (U) The group's Control Officer will be E. Strother 
Murray, Political-Military Officer.  She can be reached by 
e-mail murrayes@state.gov or by phone  34-91-587-2393 
(office) and FAX  34-91-587-2391. 
AGUIRRE