Cablegate: Tfuso1: Egypt Responds to U.S. Disaster

O 121601Z SEP 01
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3813
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS CAIRO 005603

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER EG IS
SUBJECT: TFUSO1: EGYPT RESPONDS TO U.S. DISASTER

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OFFICIAL CONTACTS
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1. THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT REACTED QUICKLY TO THE HORRIFIC
EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES ON SEPTEMBER 11. A CLEARLY
DISTRAUGHT PRESIDENT MUBARAK APPEARED ON TELEVISION,
EXPRESSING SORROW AND SADNESS AT THE EVENTS. HE LATER CALLED
A CABINET MEETING, DIRECTING THAT ALL FORMS OF ASSISTANCE BE
OFFERED TO THE EMBASSY. DEFENSE MINISTER TANTAWI, AS WELL AS
FOREIGN MINISTER MAHER, WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE AMBASSADOR
DURING THE EVENING TO INSURE THAT U.S. NEEDS WERE MET. ARAB
LEAGUE SECRETARY-GENERAL AMR MOUSSA PHONED THE AMBASSADOR TO
EXPRESS CONDOLENCES, AND IN HIS PUBLIC STATEMENTS EXPRESSED
THE SAME SENTIMENTS. AFTERNOON OF SEPTEMBER 12, SHEIKH
TANTAWI OF AL-AZHAR TOLD "WAFD" REPORTER THAT HE WAS PAINED
BY THIS ACT AND OFFERED CONDOLENCES TO THE VICTIMS AND THEIR
FAMILIES. AT THE SAME TIME, HE CONDEMNED ACTS COMMITTED BY
ISRAEL AND ASKED THAT THE U.S. NOT JUMP TO QUICK CONCLUSIONS
AS TO THE PERPETRATORS.

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THE MEDIA
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2. MOST PAPERS FRONT-PAGED MUBARAK'S STATEMENTS OF SYMPATHY,
CONDOLENCES, AND DENUNCIATION OF TERRORIST ATTACKS "UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES." PAPERS ALSO QUOTED PRESIDENT BUSH ON HOW
THOSE RESPONSIBLE WOULD BE IDENTIFIED AND PUNISHED. MOST
PAPERS REPORTED THE CLOSURE OF THE EMBASSY.

3. POPULAR TV MORNING CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAM "SUBAH
AL-KHAYR" INTERVIEWED AN EGYPTIAN GENERAL WHO SAID THE
ATTACKS REVEAL THE WEAKNESS OF AMERICAN SECURITY AND THE
ABSENCE OF A CAPABLE INTELLIGENCE SERVICE. ANOTHER EGYPTIAN
MILITARY EXPERT WAS SHOWN ON T.V. SAYING, THAT GLOBALIZATION,
THE GULF WAR, AND THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT WERE
PROBABLE MOTIVES FOR THE ATTACK, ADDING THAT THE OPERATION
WAS BEYOND THE CAPABILITIES OF ANY NON-STATE ENTITY.
EDITORIAL COMMENT PREDICTABLY RUNS THE GAMUT FROM SOLE
CONDOLENCE AND CONDEMNATION TO A MIXED MESSAGE COMBINING THE
ABOVE BUT LINKING THE ATTACKS TO ALLEGED U.S. SUPPORT FOR
ISRAELI "TERRORISM."

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OTHERS
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4. THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD (MB) ISSUED A STATEMENT OF SHOCK,
EXPRESSING REGRET AT THIS ATTCK AGAINST ALL HUMAN VALUES.
THE MB ALSO DENOUNCED "ALL AGGRESSION AGAINST HUMAN VALUES
THROUGHOUT THE GLOBE."

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ON THE SECURITY SIDE
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5. CONTACTS REPORT THAT SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS (NFI) WERE
ARRESTED IN HOMES AND COFFEEHOUSES BY POLICE AND HAULED OFF
IN SECURITY VANS IN THE PYRAMIDS-KERDASSA AREA LAST NIGHT.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF CAIRO WILL STAY CLOSED THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 12. AIRPORT SECURITY IS REPORTEDLY EXTREMELY TIGHT.

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FROM THE STREET
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6. AS EXPECTED, PUBLIC OPINION RAN THE GAMUT FROM COMPLETE
SYMPATHY TO DOWNRIGHT SATISFACTION. WE AND OUR FSN STAFF
CANVASSED REACTION OF INDIVIDUALS FROM DIFFERENT SOCIAL,
ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL GROUPS. THOSE FROM POLITICAL
PARTIES, NGOS, HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE
KILLING OF CIVILIANS, WITH MANY ADDING THAT THE ATTACKS,
UNFORTUNATELY REFLECTED THE PROBLEMS WITH U.S. POLICY IN THE
REGION. A MINORITY EXPRESSED SYMPATHY FOR THE VICTIMS BUT
HAD NO VIEW ONE WAY OR ANOTHER ON THE POLITICS OF THE
ATTACKS. FINALLY, NEWS VENDORS, SERVANTS, CAB DRIVERS, AND
COFFEEHOUSE PATRONS GENERALLY EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH THE
ATTACKS, SAYING THAT PALESTINIANS HAD EXPERIENCED THIS FOR
MANY YEARS, NOW, FINALLY, IT WAS AMERICA'S TURN.
INTERESTINGLY, A LEFT-LEANING CONTACT AND OWNER OF A
COFFEESHOP TOLD US THAT AFTER THE FIRST REPORTS OF A
TERRORIST ATTACK OCCURRED IN THE U.S., THERE WAS A GENERAL
SENSE AMONG THE SEVERAL PATRONS THAT THE U.S. WOULD KNOW NOW
"HOW IT FELT." HOWEVER, AFTER THE MAGNITUDE OF THE
DESTRUCTION BEGAN TO BE TELEVISED, OUR CONTACT REPORTED THAT
SILENCE FELL OVER THE SHOP AND FURTHER TALK OF APPROVAL
COMPLETELY CEASED.

WELCH

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