LEBANON: ANTI-HIZBALLAH SHIA FIGURE TALKS UP FORMER HIZBALLAH SECRETARY GENERAL TUFAYLI

Reference ID 08BEIRUT571
Date 2008-04-24 04:58
Released 2010-12-01 19:07
Classification SECRET//NOFORN
Origin Embassy Beirut


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P 241658Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1655
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2480
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC



S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000571

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER/GAVITO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, PINR, SY, LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: ANTI-HIZBALLAH SHIA FIGURE TALKS UP
FORMER HIZBALLAH SECRETARY GENERAL TUFAYLI

REF: A. BEIRUT 456

B. BEIRUT 554

Classified By: CDA Michele J. Sison for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

SUMMARY
-------

1. (C) Independent Shia figure Ahmad Assad argued that former
Hizballah Secretary General Subhi Tufayli is "ready" to join
forces against Hizballah, but that first he needs to have
resolution of criminal charges against him for involvement in
the killing of an LAF officer and a French citizen. (Note:
Tufayli remains on the USG Terrorist Watch List. End note.)
Assad introduced a board member of his anti-Hizballah
political party, Amcit Abdallah Bitar, a prominent
businessman from Shia-dominated Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.
End summary.

2. (C) In preparation for his second trip of the year to the
U.S. to garner support for his anti-Hizballah movement,
independent Shia figure Ahmad Assad introduced a member of
his four-person delegation, Abdallah Bitar, to the Charge on
April 23. Bitar, an Amcit, is the head of the Chamber of
Commerce in the Shia-dominated city of Nabatieh in southern
Lebanon, and recently joined the board of Assad's political
party Lebanese Options Group (LOG) (Ref A). DCM and EmbOffs
also attended the meeting.

FORMER HIZBALLAH SECRETARY GENERAL
"READY TO LEAVE"
----------------------------------

3. (C) Like Lebanese Forces Leader Samir Geagea (ref B),
Assad mentioned the name of former Hizballah Secretary
General Sheikh Subhi Tufayli, arguing that he is "away from
his old rhetoric and ready to leave (his past alliance)" and
the U.S. should work with him. Assad explained that Tufayli
has been accused of giving orders to kill a Lebanese Armed
Forces (LAF) officer during the 1990's. Tufayli claims he is
innocent and is ready for a trial, Assad said, but his case
has been shelved despite an outstanding Lebanese warrant for
his arrest.

4. (C) Assad said that several years ago majority leader Saad
Hariri had purportedly offered assistance to Tufayli to push
the case along, but dropped his efforts, citing French
resistance. Saad reportedly told Tufayli to wait until the
last French presidential election, but Tufayli has not
received a positive response to his appeals from Saad since
President Sarkozy took office.

5. (C) Arguing that the U.S. should push the GOL to give
Tufayli a trial, Assad said that Tufayli would be a valuable
asset in countering Hizballah's influence. He could direct
"a few thousand votes" in the Bekaa, Assad predicted, which
would be a blow against Hizballah. Assad acknowledged that
Tufayli has not yet departed from his anti-U.S. views.
(Note: Tufayli remains on the USG Terrorist Watch List. End
Note.)

HIZBALLAH INFLUENCE IN THE SOUTH
--------------------------------

6. (C) A prominent Shia from Nabatieh, Bitar reported that
Iran, through its "Iranian Organization for Rebuilding
Lebanon," is busy with improvements in the south, including
building streets, parking lots, etc. The organization
employs many Lebanese and pays them directly, he added.
Bitar explained that people in the south currently have no
assistance from the government, and are in need of social
services and medical aid.

7. (C) Bitar said he has always communicated with everyone,
naming Speaker Nabih Berri and Hizballah Secretary General
Hassan Nasrallah, in particular. He caveated that he has not
spoken with Nasrallah in some time. I am not switching sides
by joining Assad, he explained, just moving from an
apolitical stance to becoming more politically engaged. He
noted that Hizballah is currently unhappy with him because of
his friendship with Assad.

8. (C) Assad said that he is trying to work on the Shia
clerics in Nabatieh to part with Hizballah, but they are

BEIRUT 00000571 002 OF 002

afraid in part because their salary is controlled by
Hizballah. Moreover, Assad continued, there is internal
pressure from the residents to continue supporting Hizballah.
He clarified that the Shia won't switch to March 14 if they
leave Hizballah, but instead are looking for another Shia
movement to support.

PUSHING FOR PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
---------------------------------------

9. (C) Assad said that head of the National Bloc party Carlos
Edde (allied with March 14) and a March 14 MP are on his side
in terms of advocating for proportional representation in a
new electoral law. Assad said they are considering doing a
joint press conference, but fear creating friction within the
March 14 coalition.

COMMENT
-------

10. (S/NF) This is the second time in two days Tufayli's name
was passed to us. Assad was vague about Tufayli's exit from
Hizballah. We know that Tufayli was expelled in 1998 from the
organization and has since tried to rejoin as late as 2005.
He was a founding member of Hizballah and served as Hizballah
Secretary General from 1989-1991. He is wanted by the

SIPDIS
Lebanese authorities for killing soldiers and civilians in
1998 clashes. The list of his anti-U.S. rhetoric is long,
including praise for the 9/11 attacks and a desire to have
participated in the 1983 U.S. Marine barracks bombings. We
plan to ask the French about their own interest in Tufayli.
Our assessment is that Tufayli would not bring much Shia
strength to Ahmed al Assad's organization; indeed, with
Tufayli's reputation, legal problems, and reputation for
corruption, he would more likely bring discredit. End
comment.

SISON




Source: Wikileaks