VZCZCXRO7694
RR RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHAG #0008/01 0571928
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261928Z FEB 08
FM AMCONSUL HAMBURG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0220
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0001
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0198
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0004
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0001
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0001
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 0001
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0001
RUEHAG/AMCONSUL HAMBURG 0240

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HAMBURG 000008 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/AGS, EUR/PPD, L/LEI, AND S/CT 
JUSTICE FOR BARBARA BERMAN AND PATRICIA REEDY 
DHS FOR MARK KOUMANS 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER KJUS KHLS ASEC PREL GM
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN TERRORIST FOUND GUILTY WITH A DE FACTO 13 MONTH 
SENTENCING 
 
REF: A. A) HAMBURG 002 
     ¶B. B) DUSSELDORF 002 
     ¶C. C) 07 HAMBURG 0052 
     ¶D. D) 07 DUSSELDORF 0037 
     ¶E. E)  07 BERLIN 1398 
 
HAMBURG 00000008  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  On February 21, the Higher Regional Court 
(OLG) in Schleswig convicted Jordanian Thaer Alhalah of founding 
a foreign terrorist organization with Redouane El-Habhab and 
Abdelali Miftah and sentenced him to a two year prison term 
(Refs A and C).  The conviction was primarily based on Alhalah's 
role in acquiring and transferring money to support the 
formation of a terrorist training camp in Sudan.  The trial was 
completed in just three hearings.  Alhalah's far-reaching 
confession at the opening hearing to having participated in 
various Internet chats, IMs, and internet-based phone calls on 
the planning of the camp was key to the trial's quick 
completion.  Prior to the beginning of the trial, the 
prosecutor's office, the judges, and the defense agreed that the 
highest sentencing Alhalah would obtain would be for two years 
incarceration.  This unusual but permissible agreement was 
reached in order to avoid a long and detailed review of all of 
the online evidence and to deport Alhalah as soon as possible. 
He is expected to be deported to Jordan in April.  The 
prosecution agreed to accept Alhalah's overall incarceration for 
only thirteen months in order to deport him in April and has not 
made any arrangements with Jordan for further confinement upon 
arrival.  Alhalah renounced his right to appeal the verdict. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
Yearning for Jihad and Al Qaeda Support 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  In the trial reading Chief Judge Michael Lautebach 
stated that in June 2006 Alhalah was heeding Osama bin Laden's 
call for a jihad against "crusaders" in Sudan by helping set up 
terrorist infrastructure there with four accomplices, including 
Redouane El-Habhab and Abdelali Miftah (Refs. A and C).  The 
judge pointed out that Alhalah completed a questionnaire for 
El-Habhab, the group's leader, in which he advertised his 
computer skills (e.g. ability to counterfeit passports) and said 
that he was eager to join the jihad.  However, the judge pointed 
out that while the other cell members intended to travel to and 
fight in Sudan, Alhalah was supposed to stay in Sweden/Europe as 
a liaison person.  [Note: El-Habhab was arrested the day before 
he intended to fly to Sudan. End Note.]  According to the judge, 
the terrorist group, which Alhalah co-founded, strived towards a 
connection to Al Qaeda.  Alhalah swore an oath of loyalty to 
Osama bin Laden on June 24, 2006.  The judge also asserted that 
the group requested a letter of recommendation from Al Qaeda 
senior leadership in order "to open doors to the tribes in 
Sudan." 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
------- 
Alhalah "Finance Minister" of Terrorist Organization 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Alhalah admitted to participating in various Internet 
chats, IMs, and internet-based phone calls concerning jihadist 
activities and the planned "resistance front" in Sudan.  The 
hearings revealed that Alhalah wanted to "take care of finances" 
and that he referred to himself as the group's "finance 
minister."  According to evidence submitted, Alhalah solicited 
2,000 dollars from Australian "brothers" which was to be used to 
purchase a laptop for the Sudan "project."  Alhalah also 
acquired commitments from seven Australian "brothers" for 
monthly contributions of 100 dollars each, which were to be 
transferred through Western Union.  Moreover, Alhalah informed 
El-Habhab that there were "brothers" in Morocco who promised to 
provide money through different "projects."  In addition, 
Alhalah was responsible for the planned monthly transfer of 
400-600 Euros from El-Habhab's Internet cafi revenues in Kiel 
for the jihadist cause.  El-Habhab and Alhalah were arrested 
before any of these transfers took place, however, according to 
the prosecutor, El-Habhab received a phone call from Australia 
 
HAMBURG 00000008  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
the day before his arrest. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
The "Thank God Nothing Happened" Factor 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Although the crime of founding a terrorist 
organization is punishable with one to ten years the judge 
stated that he took the following factors into consideration 
when deciding Alhalah's conviction:  (1) Alhalah's confession 
shortened the length of the trial, (2) a concrete danger did not 
manifest itself, (3) Alhalah was not the driving force in the 
organization.  He pointed out the following incriminating 
factors:  (1) Alhalah's participation definitely carried weight, 
(2) his efforts were partially successful, and (3) the actions 
were on the verge of being manifested and could potentially have 
resulted in great danger.  The judge said it was appropriate to 
sentence Alhalah to two years in prison to defend the German 
legal order [Note: El-Habhab received two years and nine months 
for the charge of founding a foreign terrorist organization. 
End Note.] 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Background and Bio Information 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The trial against Alhalah started on February 13 at 
the Schleswig-Holstein Higher Regional Court (OLG) in Schleswig 
and was completed within three hearings.  Although Alhalah was 
living in Sweden at the time the crimes were committed, the 
Schleswig court established jurisdiction for the case by showing 
that the crimes, in particular those committed by El-Habhab with 
whom Alhalah was cooperating, were committed in Germany. 
Alhalah was arrested in Sweden on March 19, 2007 and was 
extradited to Germany on April 4, 2007. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Thaer Hussein Mohammed Alhalah was born on July 7, 
1974 in Kuwait.  He is of Palestinian descent.  He grew up in 
Kuwait until the first Gulf War when his family fled the country 
for Jordan.  He graduated with a BA in geography in 1998 in 
Bagdad and later went to Australia (from 2001 to 2003) and then 
Stockholm (2005) to get a master's degree, which he never 
completed.  Although he arrived in Sweden with a student visa, 
upon arrival he applied for asylum, first under a false name and 
later under his real name.  Alhalah worked occasionally as a 
teacher in Jordan and in his family's restaurant. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Due to Alhalah's cooperation with the court 
and Germany's desire to quickly deport him, this trial was 
completed in record time.  According to the evidence, Alhalah 
played a minor role in this terrorist organization, particularly 
compared to that of El-Habhab, and due to his arrest was not 
able to carry out his fundraising activities.  Although Alhalah 
never displayed any remorse (as El-Habhab did), he only received 
a two year sentence of which he will have served about thirteen 
months by the time he will be deported to Jordan.  Once there he 
will walk free.  The verdict most likely will serve as a 
precedent for the case against Abdelali Miftah, which is 
expected to begin in spring 2008.  It remains to be seen whether 
Miftah will also confess to his role in the terrorist 
organization.  If he does, based on the reasoning in the Alhalah 
trial, then he will probably also receive two years for the 
charge of forming a foreign terrorist organization.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
¶8.  (U)  This message has been coordinated with Embassy Berlin. 
JOHNSON