Viewing cable 08BEIRUT523, LEBANON: HIZBALLAH GOES FIBER OPTIC
| Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08BEIRUT523 | 2008-04-16 16:04 | 2010-12-05 21:09 | SECRET//NOFORN | Embassy Beirut |
VZCZCXRO9896 PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHLB #0523/01 1071642 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 161642Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1544 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2418 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 BEIRUT 000523 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER, STATE FOR NEA/ELA, EO 12958 DECL: 04/16/2018 TAGS PTER, ECPS, PINR, LE, IR, SY SUBJECT: LEBANON: HIZBALLAH GOES FIBER OPTIC REF: BEIRUT 490 Classified By: Charge d’Affaires Michele Sison for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY ¶1. (S) Requesting a special meeting with Charge, Telecommunications
Minister Marwan Hamadeh decried the establishment of a complete
fiber optics network by Hizballah throughout Lebanon. The GOL has
been sharing this information widely among friends of Lebanon,
to include the governments of France, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and
the UAE. Hamadeh sees only two choices for the GOL: approach the
UN Security Council, or use the “cover” of March 14-friendly
municipalities to cut the lines. However, he questioned whether
the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Internal Security Forces
(ISF) have the “guts” to do so, given that Hizballah already
stated to Lebanese security officials that it would view this as
equal to an Israeli act of aggression, and would then take action
against the GOL. Hamadeh hopes that Saad Hariri, now in Geneva,
will return soon to Lebanon so that March 14 can meet to formulate
a strategy. End summary. GOL HAS BEEN SHARING HIZBALLAH FIBER OPTIC MAP, REPORT WIDELY ------------- ¶2. (S) &Iran Telecom is taking over the country!8 were the first
words out of the mouth of Minister of Telecommunications Marwan
Hamadeh when he met with Charge and Econoff on April 16. He was
referring to the discovery of a complete fiber optic system (FiOS)
installed by Hizballah throughout Lebanon - reftel. In addition,
Hizballah has introduced Wi-Max in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Hamadeh
pointed out that although Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC)
television had run a story the previous night about the Hizballah
FiOS network, it was already widely known. The LBC story was not
planted by the GOL, nor planned, but in Hamadeh’s opinion it was
no bad thing to get the story out there. Hamadeh himself has been
sharing the news both within the GOL and outside, with &friends,8
which includes the Arab countries, the U.S., France (Sarkozy was
&stunned”) and Terje Roed-Larsen of the UN. He briefed Bernard
Kouchner, Jean-David Levitte, Boris Bouillon and Michel Barnier while
in Paris. In Beirut he spoke to Charge Andre Parent of France and
Ambassador Abdul Aziz Khoja of Saudi Arabia. Saad Hariri, when he
heard, sent a private plane from Saudi Arabia to pick up a copy of
the map, which traces in detail the route of the system, to share
with Saudi King Abdullah and Intelligence Chief Prince Mukrin bin
Abdul-Aziz. PM Siniora briefed the Jordanians and Emiratis, as well
as Arab League SYG Amr Musa on the network during his recent trip
around the region, Hamadeh confirmed. Within Lebanon Hamadeh says
that the first person he told, after the Prime Minister and Druze
leader Walid Jumblatt was Maronite Patriarch Sfeir. Hamadeh described
the strategic implications of the Hizballah plan, which he says is
targeting the Christian areas, despite a denial of that by Hizballah.
In addition to Hamadeh and PM Siniora, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt
and Defense Minister Michel Murr have been active in the GL
information campaign on the network. INTERFERENCE IN TELECOMS LINKED TO NETWORK ----------------- ¶3. (S) While the confrontation over the FiOS system was taking
place with Hizballah, mobile telecommunications were being subject
to interference by Syria in the north, Israel in the south and
possibly by the UN at sea, according to Hamadeh. The information
about Israeli interference was passed &unofficially8 by UNIFIL,
since, in a recurring complaint by Hamadeh during the conversation,
the LAF has not reported any problems officially. The Syrian
interference is similar to that occurring during the Nahr al-Barid
fighting, and highlights the ability of the Syrians to communicate
within Lebanon through non-Lebanese mobile systems. Because the
system in the part of Syria bordering on northern Lebanon is a private
company, MTM, Hamadeh believes that they offer political cover to the
Syrian government, who he nevertheless believes is behind the problem.
Hamadeh views these events as part of the same strategic interference
in Lebanon, both internally and externally. Hamadeh has a map that
delineates BEIRUT 00000523 002 OF 004 the interference, in an arc that runs from the north to the south of Lebanon. MARCH 14 NEEDS TO MEET, BUT SAAD SHOULD BE THERE ------------------------ ¶4. (S) Hamadeh said that he, the Prime Minister and Minister of
Defense Elias Murr are all danger, but he and Murr will take the
biggest risk in exposing the Hizballah FiOS network. Hamadeh told
the PM that he could not assume the risk alone for a showdown with
Hizballah. He also used the risk of physical harm as a deterrent
with Jumblatt, who wanted to hold a press conference to expose the
Hizballah system. Hamadeh believes that this is a March 14 issue,
and cannot be resolved without the participation of Saad Hariri. Hamadeh
complained that there has not yet been either a March 14 meeting or
a cabinet meeting to discuss this matter. He says he asked for such
discussions in a meeting with PM Siniora April 15, and will raise it
again when they meet April 16. Hamadeh also discussed the issue with
Larsen, whom he met with recently in Paris, although he did not give
Larsen the map. If the GOL decides to raise the issue with the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC) he will then provide the map, said
Hamadeh. HIZBALLAH RESPONSE - DON’T TOUCH! -------------- ¶5. (S) Hamadeh reported that LAF G-2 Brigadier General Georges
Khoury and ISF Major General Ashraf Rifi saw Wafiq Safa, the Hizballah
liaison to the Lebanese intelligence services, together. Khoury asked
Safa to take down two parts of the network as a first step; Safa
refused. Safa stated that the network is part of Hizballah’s ability
to defend Lebanon, and that Hizballah would regard any attack on the
network as an act of aggression. However, PM Siniora only got a
written report from Khoury ten days after the meeting, Hamadeh
complained. Even then, the report was unsigned and thus returned to
Khoury for signature. According to their report, Hizballah argued
that the PM, Hamadeh and Murr are only raising the issue of the FiOS
system in order to bring up the issue of Hizballah weapons. Safa stated
categorically that the FiOS system is not up for discussion because it
is a key part of the Hizballah arsenal. Safa freely acknowledged to
Rifi and Khoury that the network exists. It could only be discussed
as part of a defense strategy, he said, adding that the network has no
commercial or trade implications. He maintained that it does not
penetrate the Christian areas. HIZBALLAH ASSERTIONS UNTRUE ----------------- ¶6. (S) Hamadeh believes both Hizballah assertions to be untrue.
He refutes the Hizballah claim that the system exists solely to
give them defensive communications throughout the country, saying
that there are ¢rales8 or hubs in many villages along the route,
and no doubt these have lines running off to other villages and
residences. He also believes that Hizballah crews are only waiting
for the snows in the Christian regions of Metn and Kswaran to melt
before completing penetration of these regions from the east. WORK DONE UNDER VARIOUS FORMS OF COVER ----------------- ¶7. (S) To complete the installations and at the same time stay below
the radar, Hamadeh says that Hizballah has used the municipalities to
issue local permits. For example, in Sidon they are working under the
cover provided by Abdel Rahman Bizri, the mayor. In another case the
Ministry of Energy issued a permit for work that was &to reinforce
energy lines,8 although Hamadeh says that was clearly not true.
Hamadeh says that the whole of the Bekaa valley was done with local
permits, and installations were done by different groups, each
unaware of what the others were doing. However, he also says that
some of the work was done with the knowledge of resigned Minister
of Energy Fneish, a Hizballah member. DISCOVERY AND REPORT -------------------- ¶8. (S) The first official report was from the region of BEIRUT 00000523 003 OF 004 Chouifat, which reported installation of an unknown fiber optic
system, and asked the Minister of the Interior to stop it. No one
did anything because, in Hamadeh’s opinion, they &had no guts.
8 At the time of the earlier exposure of the Hizballah telephone
lines running through Beirut, and even along the wall of the French
embassy, the GOL asked Hizballah to remove those lines, which
Hizballah did, and Hamadeh said that he believed at the time that
would be the end of the network in the south. The full Ministry
of Telecommunications report on the system was compiled by engineers
in the ministry and othersXXXXXXXXXXXX who Hamadeh believes could
be in great danger because of the report. Once again Hamadeh pointed
out that there were no official reports yet from ISF Major General
Rifi or LAF G-2 Brigadier General Khoury. FUNDING FROM IRAN ----------------- ¶9. (S) The current installations, as per the map Hamadeh has given
us, shows lines running from Beirut, around both sides of the airport,
into the south below the Litani and back up through the Bekaa valley
to the far north. It covers the Palestinian camps, and the Hizballah
training camps in the Bekaa, and is penetrating deep into the Christian
Metn and Ksarwan areas. Although Hamadeh says he has &a few names,8
he did not list the companies who are responsible for the installation,
but said that information would be made available shortly. He cited
the Iranian Fund for the Reconstruction of Lebanon as the source of the
funding. This same group has been rebuilding roads and bridges since
the July 2006 war with Israel, and has been accused before of
installing telecommunications lines in parallel with new roads.
Hamadeh said that he wants to get the list of companies involved and
black list them with the GOL. STRATEGIC VICTORY ----------------- ¶10. (S) Hamadeh highlights the system as a strategic victory for
Iran, since it creates an important Iranian outpost in Lebanon,
bypassing Syria. He sees the value for the Iranians as strategic,
rather than technical or economic. The value for Hizballah is the
final step in creating a nation state. Hizballah now has an army
and weapons; a television station; an education system; hospitals;
social services; a financial system; and a telecommunications system.
As a sign of its confidence Hizballah official Safa told Khoury and
Rifi that any move against the FiOS system would be taken as &an Israeli
attack8 and dealt with accordingly. When Khoury and Rifi pointed out
that the people in the area might not accept this and might show hostility
to Hizballah in this case, Safa replied, &We don’t care; we will accept
hostile reactions.8 At that point, according to Hamadeh, the GOL
decided it needed to inform its friends and make a decision on the next
steps to be taken. HAMADEH PREPARES INTERNAL CAMPAIGN ----------------- ¶11. (S) Meanwhile, Hamadeh is preparing a &very strong8 internal
campaign. This campaign, he said, has the potential to &destroy8 Aoun
and mobilize Christians, as well as influence those Shia who are
already beginning to worry about Hizballah. He is waiting for a March
14 meeting to discuss this campaign. Saad has apparently traveled to
London and Geneva this week, and is expected to be back in Riyadh by
4/20. Saad has been out of Lebanon for some several weeks and it is
not known when he will return. Hamadeh sees only two choices for the
GOL: approach the UN Security Council directly, or take on Hizballah
by cutting lines. But do the Lebanese security forces have the “guts”
for that, or are they frightened by Safa’s statement that those actions
would be considered an act of aggression, he wonders. ¶12. (S) Comment: Last year, when Hamadeh’s telecommunications ministry
“discovered” the well-known Hizballah telephone system, including
the line strung along the wall of the French embassy, he maintained
that the GOL would not tolerate the erosion of its “last monopoly”
by Hizballah, However, aside from the ceremonial cutting of the
French embassy line, there was no further action. This time around,
it appears that by sharing as widely as possible the details of the
plan, the GOL may hope that someone else will take on the challenge.
End cmment. BEIRUT 00000523 004 OF 004 SISON
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