VZCZCXRO7273
RR RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHJI #0195 1521034
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 011034Z JUN 09
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1359
INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 8374
RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 0053
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

S E C R E T JEDDAH 000195 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, IO; TREASURY FOR TFI U/S 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2019 
TAGS: KISL PGOV PHUM SCUL SOCI PREL PINR SA
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC RELIEF ORGANIZATION SAUDI 
ARABIA (IIROSA) SECRETARY GENERAL PUBLICLY DENIES ANY LINK 
WITH TERRORISM 
 
REF: JEDDAH 0084 
 
Classified By: Consul General Martin R. Quinn for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( 
d) 
 
¶1. (S) SUMMARY: The April 23 Arab News quotes International 
Islamic Relief Organization of Saudi Arabia (IIROSA) 
Secretary General Adnan Khalil Basha denying any link to 
terrorist activities and appealing to the US Administration 
to consider the lack of evidence against the organization. 
Citing his February 15 letter to President Obama, Basha 
invokes IIROSA's claim to have extended an earlier offer to 
help Hurricane Katrin victims in apparent overture to the 
new Adminisration. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (S) ARTICLE IN ARAB NEW. In April 23 interview entitled 
"No Proof of Terorism against IIROSA" in Saudi-based Arab 
News,IIROSA SYG Adnan Khalil Basha denies any link betwen 
his organization and terrorism, citing his Fbruary 15 
congratulatory letter to President Obama, forwarded by 
consulate (reftel). 
 
¶3. (SBU) DENIES LINK TO TERRORISM: Denying any connection 
with terrorism, Basha expresses the "hope that the American 
judiciary would understand the work of IIROSA and that it has 
nothing to do with terrorism. The organization is against 
terrorism and is fighting it through its relief and welfare 
activities." Voicing confidence that IIROSA will be acquitted 
since "all accusations leveled against Arab and Islamic 
charities have in the past been proven to be baseless," Basha 
claims that an American lawyer is following the case in the 
US and keeping IIROSA informed of developments.  He stresses 
that "all accusations against IIROSA in America were based on 
secret evidence not disclosed to IIROSA."  Further defending 
his organization, Basha notes that "welfare organizations are 
fighting terrorism through efforts to alleviate the effects 
of illiteracy, poverty and diseases." 
 
¶4. (SBU) US TIES: HELP FOR KATRINA VICTIMS, LETTER TO POTUS: 
The article quotes Basha asking "the new US administration, 
which has a rational and realistic policy toward many issues, 
to be objective concerning the IIROSA case that is being 
considered by the American judiciary." Recalling his February 
15 letter to the President explaining that terrorism thrives 
in Muslim countries due to "poverty, ignorance, diseases and 
other social ills," Basha claims to have offered assistance 
to Hurricane Katrina victims through the US Consulate General 
in Jeddah, complaining that he never received an 
acknowledgment. (Post has no record of any communication on 
the offer although several regional governments and 
organizations offered Katrina assistance to the USG in 
September 2005.) 
 
¶5. (S) COMMENT: IIROSA SYG Adnan Basha appears eager to forge 
a new relationship with the US Government.  His long, 
rambling letter to POTUS as well as comments to the media may 
indicate an attempt to make an overture.  Post's last contact 
with IIROSA was in August 2006. IIRO Headquarters in Jeddah 
has not yet been designated either domestically pursuant to 
Executive Order 13224 or internationally via the UN1267 list 
for involvement with terrorist financing. END COMMENT. 
QUINN