Cablegate: Full Text of Islamic Jihad 17 March Statement
R 201307Z MAR 85
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2276
INFO AMEMBASSY BERN
UNCLAS BEIRUT 01725 \
E.O. 12356:DECL:OADR
TAGS: PTER PREL LE
SUBJECT: FULL TEXT OF ISLAMIC JIHAD 17 MARCH STATEMENT
1. AP PROVIDED EMBASSY WITH FULL TEXT OF ISLAMIC JIHAD STATEMENT AS TELEPHONED MARCH 17 TO REUTERS AND AFP.
2. BEGIN TEXT:
"THE ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION IN THE NAME OF GOD THE ALL MERCIFUL. THE PUNISHMENT OF THOSE IS THE CURSE OF GOD, THE ANGELS AND ALL PEOPLE. THE DETENTION OF TERRY ANDERSON, BRIAN LEVICK AND JERRY (GEOFFRY?) NASH COMES WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF OUR CONTINUING OPERATIONS AGAINST AMERICA AND ITS AGENTS. WE ARE DEFINITE THAT ISLAMIC BEIRUT IS FULL OF AGENTS FROM ALL SIDES AND ACCORDINGLY WE ARE WORKING DAY AND NIGHT TO PURGE OUR REGION OF ANY SUBVERSIVE ELEMENT OF THE MOSSAD, CIA OR ALLIED INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES. WE ADDRESS A FINAL WARNING TO FOREIGN NATIONALS RESIDING IN OUR ISLAMIC REGIONS TO RESPECT OUR HOSPITALITY AND NOT TO EXPLOIT THEIR PRESENCE AMONG US TO UNDERTAKE SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES AGAINST US. ASSUMING THE PROFESSION OF A JOURNALIST, MERCHANT, INDUSTRIALIST, SCIENTIST AND RELIGIOUS MAN WILL FROM NOW ON BE OF NO AVAIL TO SPIES STAYING AMONG US. THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED, AND THEIR PUNISHMENT IS WELL KNOWN. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE LEARNED THAT SWITZERLAND IS PLANNING TO BUY WEAPONS AND PILOTLESS RECONNAISSANCE PLANES FROM THE ZIONIST STATE. WE WARN BERNE AGAINST MAKING SUCH A STEP AS IT WILL REMOVE FROM IT ITS NEUTRAL CHARACTER AND THREATEN ITS INTERESTS, ESTABLISHMENTS AND NATIONALS THROUGHOUT THE ISLAMIC AND WESTERN WORLD." "WE HAVE DELAYED RELEASING THIS STATEMENT UNTIL THE THREE WERE TAKEN OUTSIDE BEIRUT."
END TEXT.
3. INDIVIDUAL TAKING CALL SAID IT WAS FROM THE "USUAL" MAN WHO CALLED, SPEAKING LEBANESE ACCENTED ARABIC, ABOUT 1900 ON MARCH 17.
BARTHOLOMEW