VZCZCXRO3042
PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #1348/01 2591418
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 151418Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3034
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 2905

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIRUT 001348 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, IO/FO-HOOK, WARLICK, 
IO/UNP-AMORRISON, L/FO-JBELLINGER, JTHESSIN, 
L/AN-LJACOBSON, L/UNA-TBUCHWALD, INR/GGI-MARGULIES, 
CIA/CNC-JFINKEL, JBRODERERICK, CIA/CTC-JBEAN, DOJ-JEVY, 
USUN-KHALILZAD, WOLFF, SCHEDLBAUER, NSC FOR 
ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/YERGER/MCDERMOTT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2018 
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV PINR UNSC LE SY
SUBJECT: LEBANON: BELLEMARE ANXIOUS FOR MORE USG ASSISTANCE 
THAN HE HAS SEEN 
 
REF: THE HAGUE 744 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (S/NF)  In a September 12 meeting with the Ambassador, 
Daniel Bellemare, Commissioner of the UN Independent 
International Investigative Commission (UNIIIC) made three 
specific requests for USG assistance and additional requests 
for USG action.  First, he asked that the USG provide 
intelligence information that UNIIIC has formally requested. 
Second, that the USG loan UNIIIC two criminal investigators 
TDY.  UNIIIC needs "investigators who can question a witness" 
to interview some 200 persons currently in prison who may 
have some relevant information.  Third, that the USG urge the 
UK to do more to help UNIIIC, particularly with intelligence 
information (the UK has provided loaned personnel). 
 
¶2. (S/NF)  In addition, Bellemare asked for USG support when 
the Management Committee considers the Tribunal operating 
budget on September 25 -- the same day that Lebanese 
President Sleiman will meet President Bush in Washington.  He 
also raised the prospect of consultations among the P-5 on a 
new resolution to clarify some legal issues.  Finally he 
repeated earlier requests for a USG reaction to 26 sketches 
of possible suspects that UNIIIC had given the USG and asked 
about getting access to alleged Hizballah defectors 
reportedly in the U.S. 
 
¶3. (S/NF)  On other matters, Bellemare said that the GOL has 
not asked that UNIIIC investigate the latest political 
assassination (the September 10 attack on opposition Druze 
member Saleh Aridi).  He is concerned about a new 
Telecommunication Ministry directive that may impede his 
plans for using wiretaps.  End Summary. 
 
GOL HAS NOT ASKED THAT UNIIIC 
INVESTIGATE LATEST ASSASSINATION 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (S/NF)  The Ambassador and DCM met on September 12 with 
Daniel Bellemare, Commissioner of the UN Independent 
International Investigative Commission (UNIIIC), in his 
office in Monteverde.  The Ambassador asked if UNIIIC would 
investigate the case of Saleh Aridi, a Druze political 
official assassinated in a car bomb attack near Beirut on 
September 10.  Bellemare explained that for UNIIIC to take on 
a case, first the GOL must ask the UN SYG, then the SYG and 
Security Council must approve.  He said that the GOL had 
shown no indication that it would request that UNIIIC 
investigate the Aridi killing.  UNIIIC is interested in 
finding out more about the Aridi attack, since details are 
similar to other cases it is investigating.  If it is not 
invited to investigate but wants information about a case, 
UNIIIC must submit a request to the Lebanese chief 
prosecutor.  The criteria the GOL uses to decide on 
requesting UNIIIC assistance is "a mystery to me" Bellemare 
said.  (NOTE:  The Aridi assassination is the first of a 
pro-Syrian politician.  END NOTE.) 
 
WIRETAPPING 
----------- 
 
¶5. (S/NF)  Bellemare was concerned about something he had 
learned the day before that might affect wiretapping.  The 
Telecommunications Ministry had directed two private telecom 
companies in Lebanon to inform the Ministry about any 
requests for wiretapping.  He noted that it is well known 
that the Internal Security Forces (ISF), the national police, 
conduct wiretapping even though the legal basis for their 
authority to do so is weak.  The Telecom Ministry's move may 
have been directed against the ISF.  The order, however, also 
could limit the ability of UNIIIC to conduct wiretaps if the 
phone companies fear that they will have to report those 
efforts to the Telecommunications Ministry. 
 
¶6. (S/NF)  The Ambassador asked if Bellemare believed the 
action was targeted at UNIIIC, noting that the new 
Telecommunications Minister is from the opposition. 
Bellemare replied that he was not in a position to say.  At 
his meeting with PM Fouad Siniora earlier in the week, on 
September 8, Siniora told Bellemare to inform him if he runs 
into any problems with cooperation from government officials. 
 He said he might discuss this with the PM if it looks as if 
this new telecom directive will be a problem, but first he 
will meet with officials of the two telecom companies next 
week.  The Ambassador offered to support his efforts at 
resolving this issue. 
 
¶7. (S/NF)  Bellemare noted that at his August 14 meeting in 
The Hague with the USG Interagency Working Group (IWG), he 
had asked for USG help with wiretapping capability.  He said 
that trying to work wiretapping through the Lebanese ISF or 
military intelligence would be like "putting the names (of 
targets) in the paper".  He explained that UN legal experts 
were currently looking into the possibility that UNIIIC has 
legal authority to carry out wiretaps.  Beyond legal 
authority for wiretapping, though, Bellemare said he needs 
technical capability. 
 
ASSISTANCE FROM THE USG 
----------------------- 
 
¶8. (S/NF)  Bellemare expressed frustration that USG has not 
provided more in response to his requests for assistance, and 
noted that he has discussed this with State Department 
officials.  He outlined three requests for USG assistance for 
his investigation. 
 
-- One, provide intelligence information that UNIIIC has 
formally requested, or inform him that it cannot be provided, 
so that he knows not to pursue the requests. 
 
-- Two, provide two loaned criminal analysts on TDY.  UNIIIC 
needs "investigators who can question a witness" to interview 
some 200 persons currently in prison who may have some 
relevant informtion. 
 
-- Three, using USG influence, urge the U government to 
provide more to UNIIIC, particulaly regarding intelligence 
information.  Bellemare said he has requests in to MI-6, but 
has not received much.  On personnel, Scotland Yard has 
provided a loaned investigator. 
 
¶9. (S/NF)  Bellemare showed a good understanding of the 
problems associated with complying with the first two 
requests from his several meetings with USG officials, but 
his frustration was nonetheless evident.  "You are the key 
player.  If the U.S. doesn't help me, who will?"  The USG has 
"a big investment in the Tribunal" and being more forthcoming 
on UNIIIC's requests is a way of making that investment pay 
off, he said. 
 
¶10. (S/NF)  During the meeting, Bellemare made several other 
requests for USG action: 
 
-- USG support when the Committee considers the Tribunal 
operating budget, scheduled for September 25, the same day 
that Lebanese President Sleiman will meet President Bush in 
Washington.  He warned that the budget includes high travel 
costs, but that these are necessary because of the need for 
frequent travel between the Hague and Lebanon. Bellemare 
thanked the USG for what he said was a much improved attitude 
on the part of the Tribunal Management Committee.  His 
requests have been more favorably received than was the case 
previously. 
 
-- He raised the prospect of consultations among the P-5 on a 
new resolution to clarify some legal issues.  He mused about 
the possibility of getting Chapter VII authority for the 
Tribunal via such a new resolution, but seemed to think that 
was not doable in the Council. 
 
-- He asked for a reaction to the 26 sketches of possible 
suspects that UNIIIC had given the USG. 
 
-- Finally, he asked about getting access to alleged 
Hizballah defectors reportedly in the U.S., or a definitive 
negative response to the request.  The answers the USG has 
given him so far on this subject, he said, have been not 
sufficiently definitive. 
 
INTERVIEWS IN SYRIA 
------------------- 
 
¶11. (S/NF)  On this issue, Bellemare repeated what he said in 
the IWG meeting (reftel): that he did not want to go to Syria 
until the USG or other sources had provided names of leads he 
should ask to interview and other information.  If Syria 
denied his request to interview these people, then he would 
have evidence of Syrian non-cooperation.  Just asking would 
give some indication to others in Syria where his 
investigation might be headed, which could provoke more 
cooperation "if I hit the right person." 
 
¶12. (S/NF)  Bellemare emphasized the urgency for responding 
to his request related to Syria, first, because UNIIIC's 
mandate and with it Chapter VII authority expires at the end 
of the year, and second, the importance of conducting the 
interviews before the interviewees disappear by being killed 
or other means. 
 
OTHER ISSUES: NEW MINISTER OF JUSTICE, 
UNIIIC PRESS SPOKESPERSON 
------------------------------ 
 
¶13. (C )  Bellemare said he had a very positive impression of 
new GOL Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar, who had told 
Bellemare he wanted to be helpful.  Najjar's predecessor, 
Charles Rizk, was a vocal supporter of the Tribunal but also 
known for public criticisms of Bellemare and the previous 
Commissioner, Serge Brammertz.  Bellemare, a Canadian, noted 
that Najjar had taught at McGill University in Montreal and 
they had some mutual acquaintances. 
 
¶14. (SBU)  UNIIIC now has a press spokesperson who started 
work the week before, Bellemare reported. The official had 
good relevant experience as the spokesperson for the 
Yugoslavia Tribunal and most recently for the UN Legal 
Affairs office.  The new spokesperson is currently working up 
a strategy for UNIIIC's press interaction. 
 
¶15. (C)  Bellemare said he had been advised by several 
persons to not make statements in public that might be seen 
as disrupting the current relative calm in Lebanon.  He 
planned to follow that advice,  (NOTE: Bellemare traveled to 
Saudi Arabia September 15, we understand.  We will seek 
further information from UNIIIC contacts.  END NOTE.) 
SISON