VZCZCXRO4152
PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHKUK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHLB #1791 3590413
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 240413Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3844
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS BEIRUT 001791 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ELA 
PM/DTCC BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EG ETTC GM KOMC LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON:  BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: POST SHIPMENT 
END-USE CHECK ON LICENSE 050057708 - CENTERFIRE AMMUNITION 
 
REF: STATE 117106 
 
¶1. (SBU) In response to reftel, questions regarding export 
license application 050057708 for the export of 10 million 
centerfire ammunition, calibers 5.56, 9mm, and 40S&W to the 
Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) in Lebanon, Post 
confirms that this is a legitimate ISF purchase.  In 
coordination with Embassy's Office of Defense Coordination 
(ODC) and Office of International Narcotics and Law (INL) 
Chief Virginia Ramadan, we confirm the following background 
information: 
 
¶2. (SBU) Embassy PolMil officer and INL Section Chief 
Virginia Ramadan met with ISF General Director, Major General 
Achraf Rifi and General Ahmad Hneini of the ISF General 
Directorate on December 15 and with General Hneini and 
Mohammad Jamil, General Manager of the Mercantile Trading 
Company on December 16. 
 
¶3. (SBU) General Hneini confirmed that the ISF placed the 
order for 10 million rounds of 5.56, 9mm and 40S&W caliper 
ammunition. He explained that recruitment efforts brought the 
ISF personnel levels to 23,500 and training anticipated for 
2008 and 2009, for the enlarged force, required the larger 
amounts of ammunition.  He noted that in 2009 there would be 
an emphasis in marksmanship training. 
 
¶4. (SBU) General Hneini confirmed the ISF had placed the 
order in July 2007. Additionally, he confirmed that all the 
rounds on the license were delivered to or accounted for by 
the ISF .  He denied any rounds were diverted from or shipped 
outside of Lebanon. Mr. Jamil presented Bills of Lading, 
shipping receipts, and survey reports that accounted for 10 
million rounds of ammunition. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The ammunition departed New York Harbor in two 
shipments, with eight containers of 127 pallets on the CMA 
CGM vessel "Eiffel" and one container of 17 pallets on CMA 
CGM vessel "Puget".  Jamil explained th smaller shipment 
needed to pass through the Egytian Port of Said to fulfill 
the contract requirements with the shipper CMA CGM.  CMA CGM 
was stipulated the shipment with one container would need to 
stop in Port Said Egypt before embarking on the last leg of 
the voyage to Beirut. CMA CGM vessel, "Puget" would make a 
stop at Port Said to rationalize the cargo onto a second 
Bulgarian flagged vessel "Burgas" and then transit to Beirut. 
 
¶6. (SBU) One container with 17 pallets was transferred from 
the "Puget" to the "Burgas" in Port Said on 23 June 2008. The 
container was never opened.  Documentation provided by 
Mercantile Trading substantiated the transshipment and 
arrival of the cargo in Said and Beirut. Additionally, a 
survey report of shortages was conducted at the request of 
Joseph Hajal, a sworn surveyor following a complaint from 
Mercantile Trading that the cargo showed signs of shortage. 
The survey disclosed that one carton of 1000 rounds was 
missing, one carton was missing one box of 20 rounds, and one 
torn carton, after being hit by a forklift, was found to have 
20 boxes of 20 rounds damaged. There is no evidence that any 
ammunition on this license was shipped to an end-user outside 
of Lebanon and no end user other than the ISF. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Post confirms the Lebanese ISF is familiar with the 
regulations governing import of U.S.-origen defense articles, 
including restrictions on re-transfer and re-export. 
SISON