Excerpt from document
(S/NF) Summary: S/CT Amb. Dell Dailey and NEA DAS Gray
visited Morocco February 7-8 to discuss enhancing security
cooperation and especially countering the flow of Moroccan
foreign fighters into Iraq. Amb. Dailey asked the highest
level of concerned GOM officials to assert pressure on Syria
to take further steps to halt the transit of foreign
fighters, to share passenger data for international flights
originating in Morocco, and to enhance bilateral security
coordination.

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Content
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 RABAT 000150

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

STATE FOR S/CT AND NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2018
TAGS: PTER, EAIR, PINR, PREL, OVIP, MO
SUBJECT: EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON FOREIGN FIGHTERS

Classified By: DCM Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b), (c) and (d).

1. (S/NF) Summary: S/CT Amb. Dell Dailey and NEA DAS Gray
visited Morocco February 7-8 to discuss enhancing security
cooperation and especially countering the flow of Moroccan
foreign fighters into Iraq. Amb. Dailey asked the highest
level of concerned GOM officials to assert pressure on Syria
to take further steps to halt the transit of foreign
fighters, to share passenger data for international flights
originating in Morocco, and to enhance bilateral security
coordination. The Moroccans were sympathetic to the requests
and promised to study the request for increased passenger
data. Foreign Minister Fassi Fihri noted that Syria already
required visas for Moroccans and other Arabs. During a
briefing for Amb. Dailey, Morocco's external intelligence
service warned of a possible deterioration of security
conditions in Mauritania. End summary.

2. (S) On February 7, S/CT Coordinator Dell Dailey and NEA
DAS Gordon Gray began their full schedule of briefings with
Minister of Interior Chakib Benmoussa and senior officials
from his Ministry. The Ambassador, DCM and Counselor for
Regional Affairs also participated. As Ambassador Dailey did
in each of his briefings, he explained that devastating
suicide attacks by foreign fighters were the biggest killer
in Iraq. Praising Morocco's positive steps and very good
cooperation on counterterrorism, he said he hoped the
cooperation could increase.

3. (S) Ambassador Dailey explained what we had learned from
documents seized on September 13, 2007, debriefings and
liaison partners about some 800 foreign fighters in Iraq. He
noted that 40 percent of the 800 hailed from the Arabian
Peninsula and, surprisingly, another 40 percent hailed from
North Africa, with Libya accounting for 22 percent.
Ambassador Dailey explained that in general the foreign
fighters traveled to Syria by air and then entered Iraq on
foot after linking up with a facilitator in Damascus and
spending 1 to 3 weeks in Syria. Ambassador Dailey then cited
successes using a passenger name recognition (PNR) program in
the Caribbean.

--------------------
How Morocco Can Help
--------------------

4. (S) Acknowledging that Syria has taken some steps to stem
the flow, Ambassador Dailey made three requests of the GOM:
1) that the GOM pressure Syria to strengthen visa
requirements, 2) that the GOM and the USG exchange airline
passenger lists for all flights and not just for those bound
for the United States, and 3) that we look at ways to
reinforce U.S.-Moroccan cooperation.

5. (C) Minister Benmoussa responded that Morocco's analysis
of the facts was similar. He said Morocco was cognizant of
the networks moving foreign fighters to Iraq, Algeria and the
Sahel. He acknowledged that these terrorists represent a
serious threat to Morocco and, therefore, Morocco is actively
working with the U.S. and other partners to control the
networks. Minister Benmoussa pointed out that the GOM has
dismantled some networks and that approximately 60 Moroccans
had been arrested before they could depart Morocco. Another
70 Moroccans are being watched and/or sought in the country
and the region. He noted that Moroccans also use routes to
and through Algeria and the Sahel. He concluded that we
could have an "experts meeting" to examine our already
elevated cooperation and the PNR program in particular.
(Note: Morocco already provides exhaustive data on passengers
traveling on U.S. bound flights. End note.)

RABAT 00000150 002 OF 003

---------------------------
Moroccan Intelligence Chief
---------------------------

6. (S/NF) In a smaller meeting with Mohamed Yassine
Mansouri, Chief of the Directorate-General for Studies and
Documentaton, Morocco's external intelligence service,
General Dailey gave a summary of his presentation on foreign
fighters. Mansouri responded that Morocco was not surprised
by the number of Libyans but was surprised by the number of
its own nationals in the foreign fighter pipeline,
particularly of Moroccans from Casablanca. Mansouri assured
Ambassador Dailey that he agreed on the three requests. He
said cooperation among countries of origin is critical,
adding that Morocco believes Syria is now willing to
strengthen cooperation. (Note: Separately, Mansouri's
deputy, Brigadier General Abdeljabbar Azzaoui, told us that
Morocco's leverage over Syria was limited. End note.)
Mansouri stated that Morocco hopes that the improving
situation in Iraq will diminish the flow of foreign fighters.

7. (S/NF) Mansouri cautioned, however, that Al Qaeda in the
Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) is a new regional reality and that if
AQ fails in Iraq, the Maghreb will become its principal
target. Already, terrorist methods in Algeria mirror methods
used in Iraq, and Morocco has reason to believe that AQIM has
successfully used rockets in Algeria for the first time.
Mansouri underscored that Maghreb countries are just
beginning to cooperate. He noted that he had just
accompanied Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Taieb
Fassi Fihri to Mauritania, which has the will but not the
means to combat terrorism. Mansouri said no Maghreb country,
with the possible exception of Morocco, can begin to control
its frontiers.

8. (S/NF) Turning to Western Sahara, Mansouri said the
terrorist threat there is real. He was very careful to say
that the GOM does not think the POLISARIO is a terrorist
organization, but some members of the POLISARIO have joined
AQIM. Morocco is particularly concerned that should Algeria
and the POLISARIO install themselves outside the berm in the
no man's land in Western Sahara, this could become a base for
terrorist training and operations, which Morocco could not
tolerate.

9. (S/NF) Immediately prior to the meeting with DG Mansouri,
DGED experts, led by Azzaoui, Morocco's most senior
intelligence officer, gave Amb. Dailey and accompanying
delegation an overview briefing of the terror threat across
the Maghreb region, including an assessment of the command
structure of Algeria-based AQIM, the successor to the
Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) which has
waged a brutal jihadist insurgency against the GOA since the
early 1990s. They briefed in detail on the extensive
Moroccan efforts over the past few years to disrupt the Iraq
foreign fighter pipleine.

10. (S/NF) DGED analysts said they were particularly
concerned about the situation in Mauritania and forecasted an
increase in Islamist terror activity intended to destabilize
the country and ultimately topple the Nouakchott government.
Jihadists in Mauritania would seek in step up attacks on
Mauritanian security forces, senior government officials, and
foreign interests, they warned.

11. (S/NF) During the final session with the DGED, their
analysts noted that 139 Moroccan foreign fighters had
attempted to go to Iraq since 2003. The DGED had seen a
resurgence in the foreign fighter pipeline in 2006. Their
analysis showed that 65 percent of Moroccan foreign fighters

RABAT 00000150 003 OF 003

hailed from Casablanca, 19 percent from Tetouan, 11.5 percent
from Tangier, and 4 percent from Taroudant. They confirmed
that 40 Moroccans had definitely reached Iraq, and 38 of them
had participated in suicide missions. The DGED alos
emphasized that Moroccan cells cooperated with individuals
and cells in Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

----------------------------
Foreign Minister Fassi Fihri
----------------------------

12. (C) Dailey and Gray accompanied by Ambassador also
briefed Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi-Fihri February 8. MFA
Chief of Staff Bourita and Western Hemisphere Director Tazi
sat in. Dailey praised the reforms undertaken by King
Mohammed VI and said they gave people hope. He asked the
Minister to request that Syria tighten entry controls and
apply particularly close scrutiny to young travelers. He
also urged Morocco to take advantage of USG capabilities to
screen passenger manifests for flights to Turkey and Syria,
as is already being done for flights to the U.S.

13. (C) Fassi Fihri appreciated the briefing, recalling
meeting Fran Townsend at the NSC, who told him Morocco's CT
cooperation with the USG was the best in the Arab world. He
noted that the GOM was interested in the distinction whether
Moroccans went specifically to blow themselves up, or simply
to fight and perhaps get training. There was no overall
headquarters organizing this in Morocco, but he had heard
there was a Moroccan in Iraq with al-Qaeda doing organizing.
He insisted that Syria already requires visas from Moroccans
and other Arab entrants. He undertook to communicate
concerns to the Governments of Turkey and Syria. Most
transit was through Europe, however.

14. (C) In the Maghreb, he assessed cooperation with Tunisia
had improved in the last month. At the behest of friendly
governments, Morocco was cooperating with Libya. The
Algerians cooperate, but at a minimal level. More confidence
could lead to improved cooperation. He had recently returned
from Mauritania, where the President was very concerned about
the situation. The Mauritanians told him Islamists from
there don't go to Iraq, but stay in Mauritania to cause
trouble. He understood that terrorists were searching for
specifically French citizens to kidnap -- they let Italians
go. Regionally, the AMU can be a source of cooperation. In
the aftermath of their meetings with the Europeans (5 5, EU)
the ministers agreed that the next meeting would discuss
security cooperation.

15. (C) TFF noted the young man who targeted the Consulate
in Casablanca had been intending to go to Iraq, but his
leader had been arrested and he acted in desperation. He
lamented that potential extremists pay too much attention to
al-Jazeera.

16. (C) Ambassador Dailey and DAS Gray have cleared this
message.

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