Cablegate: Notification of Presumptive Death of Three
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS KUWAIT 003413
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MOPS PREL IZ EG
SUBJECT: NOTIFICATION OF PRESUMPTIVE DEATH OF THREE
EGYPTIAN DRIVERS IN IRAQ
1. (U) Embassy Kuwait received a letter from Major General
Gary D. Speer, Deputy Commanding General of the Coalition
Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC), requesting post's
assistance in resolving the cases of three Egyptian drivers
presumed to have been killed while driving in Iraq (text in
para 2). CFLCC is asking for Government of Egypt (GOE) help
in providing death certificates for the three men, so that a
death benefit of approximately $34,000 may be paid to each
man's next-of-kin. We will pass the letter to the Egyptian
Embassy in Kuwait. We would also request that Embassy Cairo
relay the text of the letter to their interlocutors in the
GOE.
2. (U) BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER.
September 15, 2004
Department of the Army, Coalition Forces Land Component
Command
United States Army Central Command
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
Office of the Deputy Commanding General
Matthew H. Tueller
Charge d'Affaires
Embassy of the United States of America
Kuwait City, Kuwait
Dear Mr. Tueller:
Thank you for the Country Team's continued support of the
Coalition Forces Land Component Command. Embassy involvement
in the foreign national driver crisis has been critical in
moving this issue forward. As a related matter, request your
assistance in the cases of three Egyptian drivers who were
killed in action while driving in Iraq for our host nation
contractors.
Missing since April 11, 2004, Egyptian truck drivers, Mr.
Ibrahim Moussa, PP Number 792387, and Galal El Sayet Osman,
PP Number 488960, worked under United States Army Contract
Number W912D1-04-D-0001 for Ahamadah General Trading and
Contracting Company. Also, Habshy Elsayed, PP Number
1438858, worked under United States Army Contract Number
W912D1-04-D-004 for IAP, Incorporated and has been missing
since April 26, 2004.
These men have been missing since the convoys they were
traveling in came under hostile fire from anti-coalition
forces. Although their bodies were not recovered, the nature
of the attack and the extent of the damage to these
individuals and their vehicles were such that they are
presumed to be dead. Our deepest sympathy and sorry is
respectfully given to their families.
These drivers' employment contracts provided for a death
gratuity in the amount of 10,000 Kuwaiti Dinar per person.
Request assistance with the Egyptian Embassy in obtaining
Government of Egypt death declarations (death certificates)
for these men, so the death gratuities can be provided to
their next of kin.
Respectfully,
Gary D. Speer
Major General, US Army
Deputy Commanding General
LeBaron