Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 7627 / 251,287

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03 2011/04
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19 2011/03/20 2011/03/21 2011/03/22 2011/03/23 2011/03/24 2011/03/25 2011/03/26 2011/03/27 2011/03/28 2011/03/29 2011/03/30 2011/03/31
2011/04/01 2011/04/02 2011/04/03 2011/04/04 2011/04/05 2011/04/06 2011/04/07 2011/04/08 2011/04/09 2011/04/10 2011/04/11 2011/04/12 2011/04/13 2011/04/14 2011/04/15 2011/04/16 2011/04/17 2011/04/18 2011/04/19 2011/04/20 2011/04/21 2011/04/22 2011/04/23 2011/04/24 2011/04/25 2011/04/26

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 96 97 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1985/03
1986/05
1987/06
1988/01
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05
1996/11
1997/12
2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/06 2001/07 2001/10 2001/11
2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/07 2002/11 2002/12
2003/01 2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Amsterdam Consulate Adana American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guayaquil Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamburg
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lahore Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE Mission USNATO Mission UNESCO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manila Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Mumbai Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia Embassy New Delhi Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Of Spain Embassy Port Louis Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate St Petersburg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Office Almaty US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Embassy Valletta Consulate Vladivostok
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AF AE AMGT ACOA ASEC AORC AG AU AR AS AFIN AL APER AA AEMR AMED ABLD AM ATFN AROC AJ AFFAIRS AO AFGHANISTAN AFU AER ALOW AODE ABUD ATRN APECO ASUP AC AZ AVERY APCS ADCO ASIG AGMT AMBASSADOR ASEAN AX AID AUC ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG ADANA AND AN ARM AY
BR BIDEN BO BK BU BY BEXP BL BTIO BF BBSR BA BM BH BE BB BILAT BG BRUSSELS BT BC BX BMGT BTIU
CU CH CJAN CO CA CASC CY CD CM COE COUNTRY CLEARANCE CVIS CPAS CMGT CACS CWC CBW CI CG CF CS CN CT CL CIA CDG CE CIS CTM CB CLINTON CR COM CONS CV CJUS COUNTER CKGR COUNTERTERRORISM CODEL CONDOLEEZZA CARSON CW CFED CLMT CROS CACM CDB CAN
DA DOE DJ DK DHS DR DEA DS DOMESTIC DAO DCM DEPT DTRA DPRK DEFENSE DISENGAGEMENT DOD DEAX
ETRD ETTC ECON EFIN ES EFIS EWWT EAID ENRG ELAB EINV EU EAIR EI EIND EUN EG EAGR EPET ER EMIN EC ECIN ENVR ECA ELN ET ENERG ECPS EINT ENGY ELECTIONS EN EZ ELTN EK ECONCS EINVETC ECONEFIN ENIV ESA ENGR ETC EFTA ETRDECONWTOCS EXTERNAL ENVI EUNCH EINVECONSENVCSJA ECONOMICS EINN EFINECONCS ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ECUN ENNP EUR EAP EEPET ETRDEINVTINTCS ETRO ESENV ECINECONCS ECONOMY ECONOMIC EUMEM EAIDS EINVEFIN ECIP EINDETRD EUC EREL
FR FAO FARC FREEDOM FI FBI FTAA FJ FINR FMLN FOR FTA FOREIGN FINANCE FO FISO
GM GG GR GE GV GA GH GT GCC GOV GZ GOI GTIP GAERC GY GANGS GL GLOBAL GERARD GAZA GTMO
HO HA HR HU HSTC HURI HILLARY HK HYMPSK HUMAN HUMOR
IC IO IV IR IZ IS IN IT IAEA IWC IIP IA ID ITALIAN ITALY ICAO INRB IRAQI ILC ISRAELI IQ IMO ICTY INRA INRO IRAJ IF ICRC IPR ILO IBRD IMF IZPREL ITPHUM ITPGOV INTERPOL INTELSAT IEFIN INR IRC IACI ITRA IL ICJ INTERNAL INMARSAT ITU IDP
JOSEPH JO JA JP JAMES JOHNNIE JM JUS
KACT KNNP KDEM KGIC KRAD KISL KIPR KTIA KWBG KTFN KPAL KCIP KN KHLS KCRM KSCA KPKO KFRD KMCA KJUS KIRF KWMN KCOR KPAO KU KV KAWC KUNR KPRP KOMC KSTC KTIP KSUM KMDR KFLU KPRV KBTR KZ KS KVPR KE KERG KTDB KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KSTH KGHG KIRC KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KG KWAC KSEP KMPI KDRG KBCT KNUP KTER KCFE KPLS KVIR KAWK KDDG KOLY KMRS KHDP KPAK KNAR KREL KBTS KNPP KCOM KGIT KNNPMNUC KO KPOA KRFD KHUM KDEV KICC KCFC KREC KSPR KHIV KWWMN KLIG KBIO KTBT KOCI KFLO KWMNCS KIDE KSAF KNEI KR KTEX KNSD KOMS KCRS KGCC KWMM KRVC KPAI KHSA KTLA KFSC KX KFTFN KMFO KRCM KPWR KMIG KSEC KIFR KDEMAF KFIN KNUC KPIN
LY LE LI LH LOG LG LO LT LTTE LU LAB
MNUC MARR MCAP MASS MOPS MP MO MIL MX MY MTCRE MT ML MASC MR MK MI MAPS MEPN MU MCC MZ MA MD MASSMNUC MQADHAFI MTCR MTRE MG MEPI MDC MPOS MEETINGS MUCN MRCRE MEPP MAR MAPP MAS MTS MLS MERCOSUR MC MV MEDIA MILI MW MIK MOPPS
NATO NO NL NSG NA NU NPT NS NI NZ NATIONAL NP NAR NE NASA NK NG NT NIPP NSF NPG NGO NSSP NRR NSC
OVIP OAS OREP OPRC OPDC OEXC OPCW OSCI ODIP OSCE OTRA OPIC OIIP OFFICIALS OFDP OECD OSAC OIE OVP OPAD OFDA OIC OTR
PREL PGOV PINR PARM PHUM PTER PK PINS PO PROP PHSA PBTS PREF PE PMIL PM POL PY PFOR PHALANAGE PARTY PAK PAO PRAM PA PMAR POLITICS PHUMPREL PALESTINIAN PHUS PRL PGOC PNR PL PGGV PNAT PROV PTERE PGOF PHUMBA PINT PEL PLN POV PSOE PF PARMS PBIO PSI POLINT POLITICAL PARTIES PGOVLO PORG PGOVE PINF PRELP PAS PPA PRGOV PUNE PG POLICY PROG PDEM PREFA PDOV PCI PEPR PU PECON POGOV PINL PKFK
QA
RS RU RF RW ROBERT RFE RO REGION RP RUPREL RIGHTS RICE RSP REACTION REPORT
SENV SNAR SP SOCI SA SY SW SU SF SMIG SCUL SZ SO SH SG SR SL SOFA SANC SK ST SC SN SEVN STEINBERG SAN SHUM SYR SAARC SI SNARCS SWE SPCE SNARIZ SIPRS
TU TX TH TBIO TZ TRGY TK TW TSPA TSPL TPHY TNGD TI TC TS TR TD TT TIP TRSY TO TP TERRORISM TURKEY TFIN TINT THPY
UK UY UNESCO UNO UNSC UNEP UN UNGA US UNDP UNCHS UP UG UNMIK UNAUS USTR UNVIE UNHRC UZ UV UE USAID UNHCR USUN USEU UNDC UAE UNDESCO UNCHC UNFICYP UNCHR USNC
VE VT VZ VM VTPREL VN
WWARD WHA WI WHO WA WMO WEU WTRO WZ WITH WTRQ WBG WTO WMD WB
XZ XR XF XG XW XY XA XM XL XE XK XT XC XH XS XD XV XX
YI YM YE YMCS
ZI ZB ZU ZA ZOELLICK ZK ZP ZR ZF ZJ ZANU ZO ZL

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 06NEWDELHI7273, KASHMIR: PENDING EXECUTION CAUSING STRIFE FOR CONGRESS NEW DELHI 00007273 001.2 OF 003

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06NEWDELHI7273.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06NEWDELHI7273 | 2006-10-20 12:12 | 2011-03-16 00:12 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy New Delhi
Appears in these articles: http://www.thehindu.com/news/the-india-cables/article1541349.ece

`

    VZCZCXRO5676
    OO RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV
    DE RUEHNE #7273/01 2931249
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    O 201249Z OCT 06
    FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9763
    INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
    RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4067
    RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7475
    RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 757
    RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0556
    RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 3490
    RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 8202
    RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1718
    RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0231
    RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3928
    RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 6847
    RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 6901
    RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 5704
    RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 3097
    RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 6128
    RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 3714
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
    RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
    RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
    RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2613
    RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
    RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4921
    RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
    RHMFISS/HQ USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
    RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 007273

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2016
    TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR PBTS MOPS KDEM KISL PK IN
    SUBJECT: KASHMIR: PENDING EXECUTION CAUSING STRIFE FOR CONGRESS NEW DELHI 00007273  001.2 OF 003

    Classified By: PolCouns Ted Osius for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)

    ¶1.  (C) Summary. The Srinagar Valley erupted in protest during the first weeks of Ramazan when the Indian Supreme Court upheld a death sentence for Mohammad Afzal Guru, a convicted facilitator of the 2001 attacks on the Indian Parliament.  The Indian President has granted Afzal's family a temporary reprieve, postponing indefinitely his execution until the Home Ministry puts forward a recommendation for or against clemency. India rarely carries out the death penalty, and if Afzal is hanged, he would be only the second convicted terrorist from Jammu and Kashmir formally executed during more than 15 years of armed conflict.  For the sections of Srinagar's Muslim population who have been outspoken on this issue, the possible execution highlights concerns about the fairness of the Indian justice system and failures in India's longstanding program to demobilize and reintegrate surrendered militants.  For much of the rest of the Indian public, especially non-Muslims, Afzal is a confessed terrorist, who is unrepentant for his role in the 2001 attack on India's Parliament.  For much of the public, commuting his sentence would demonstrate that India remains weak in the face of attacks emanating from Pakistan.  For the Congress government, the execution presents a significant electoral dilemma.  Congress sources tell us that if the UPA grants a pardon for Afzal or stalls his execution, the Congress Party will be portrayed by BJP leaders as weak on national security.  If, however, the President lets him hang, some fear Congress may lose support from their traditional Muslim vote block on a national scale.  End Summary.

    Guilty As Charged?
    ------------------

    ¶2. (C) Mohammad Afzal's part in the Parliament attacks appears to have been as a direct facilitator.  Press reports indicate that he gave shelter to Jaish-i-Muhammad members in New Delhi before the attack, was in constant contact with them during their time in New Delhi, and purchased the Ambassador car that was used to get them past the Parliament's first line of security. In trying Afzal, the prosecution found that the now defunct Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was not strong enough to seek the death penalty for his facilitating role.  To be given the death penalty, under POTA, one had to be involved in the attack itself or its direct planning.  Instead, Afzal was convicted under Section 120(b) of the Indian Penal Code for conspiring to wage war against the state -- a statute that human rights attorney Ravi Nair claims was written for attempted coups leaders.  He says the strongest piece of evidence presented by the prosecution at Afzal's trial was a confession, which the police video taped and aired publicly before his trial began.  Chief among Nair's concerns is whether torture was involved in obtaining this confession.  Nair also argued that Afzal was denied a lawyer during the first stages of his trial, but when prompted further by PolOff, Nair admitted that the government appointed Afzal a public defender.

    Kashmiri Anger
    --------------

    ¶3. (C) Nair's comments mirror strong public statements by Kashmiri leaders ranging from separatist leader Yasin Malik to former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah that the entire
    NEW DELHI 00007273  002.2 OF 003 Srinagar Valley will go up in flames if Afzal is hanged. Press reports indicate that hardline separatist Sayed Ali Shah Geelani has led multiple protests in Srinagar, calling for Afzal's martyrdom, and using the slogan ""Go forth, Afzal. We are with you.""  Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also stepped into the controversy, urging the President to at least postpone the Supreme Court's order to hang Afzal until after Ramazan because of religious sensitivities.  The President subsequently agreed to hear Afzal's wife's request for clemency, a decision that fulfilled the Chief Minister's request and could potentially postpone the execution for many years, as has been the practice with several death penalty cases in the past.

    Surrendered Combatant
    ---------------------

    ¶4. (C) For Yasin Malik -- himself a former terrorist who has become an advocate against violence -- the case represents a crucial problem for India in its efforts to bring former combatants back into mainstream society.  Press reports argue that Afzal's history as a surrendered militant, who was prompted by the Indian government to spy on his former colleagues, left him vulnerable to Jaish-i-Muhammad members when they came to New Delhi asking for help in carrying out the attack. When so many common citizens in the Valley are threatened by both security forces and militants, Malik commented to PolOff, many Kashmiri Muslims feel sympathy for Afzal.  Afzal's only crime, Malik argued, was buying a car. How does this warrant a death sentence?

    Meeting a Violent End
    ---------------------

    ¶5. (C) Malik's comments, however, do not reflect the beliefs of many Kashmiri separatist leaders in the Valley.  Moderate XXXXXXXXXXXX\ Hurriyat Leader XXXXXXXXXXXX told PolOff candidly that his faction of political separatists were remaining as quiet as possible about the issue because they do not feel strongly that India should pardon Afzal.  While they were concerned that Afzal did not have adequate representation during parts of his trial, privately they say that he should be executed if he is guilty.  ""If someone is a terrorist,"" XXXXXXXXXXXX said, ""they should meet a violent end.""  He said politically, however, moderate members of the Hurriyat are unable to express this view publicly, given the mood in the valley and the threat from terrorists.  For this reason, the moderate Hurriyat as a body has remained relatively quiet about the issue. While some may speak on Afzal's behalf individually, this was only out of a sense of obligation rather than strong conviction.   XXXXXXXXXXXX  further commented that moderates like himself were losing support because of the controversy among Kashmiri Muslims, especially a small but growing cadre of Kashmiri youth who are being educated in extremist madrassas springing up across Srinagar with Pakistani Jamaat-i-Islami party funding.

    Let Him Hang
    ------------

    NEW DELHI 00007273  003.2 OF 003

    ¶6. (C) Kashmiri Pundit leader Shokti Bhan mirrored many of XXXXXXXXXXXX arguments about the Afzal case.  Having protested the President's willingness to consider clemency, Bhan argued that the Supreme Court's decision to overturn two other convictions and to commute another death sentence stemming from the attack to life imprisonment demonstrates that Afzal's case has been held up to significant judicial scrutiny. If the Supreme Court believed that he was not given a fair trial, they would have overturned his sentence. She applauded a recent Supreme Court decision admonishing the President and state governors from granting clemency purely for political reasons. She said that it didn't matter that Afzal did not pull the trigger in the case -- he knew what was being planned, and he helped the terrorists carry out that plan.  She said if the Congress government spares Afzal, the entire country will be against them because they are leaving India vulnerable to terrorists.

    An Electoral Dilemma for Congress
    ---------------------------------
    ¶7. (C) Comment:  The case raises electoral problems for Congress at a national level.  Outside of Kashmir, public opinion -- still raw from Mumbai -- is strongly in favor of Afzal's execution.  A journalist commented that Congress can't be seen giving a pass to both Pakistan in the Mumbai case as well as giving clemency to Afzal or else the BJP will subject them to withering attacks. On the other hand, Congress does not want to anger the Muslim population in Uttar Pradesh just ahead of crucial elections in February 2007. The Afzal case has also provided an issue to the Left parties, which have called for clemency and the abolition of the death penalty, winning points from both Muslims and secular leftists.  This means that the Congress is now under pressure from both the Left and the Right.  Internally, the case may also bring to light longstanding animosity between President Kalam and Sonia Gandhi, especially as a member of her own party, Chief Minister Azad, has argued on Afzal's behalf. The easiest option for Congress may be to delay Afzal's execution for years to consider his appeal for clemency, but if President Kalam believes Sonia won't grant him a second term next summer, he may choose to push the issue into the forefront again at a crucial moment. Regardless of the outcome, the case presents a difficult electoral challenge for Congress.

    PYATT

`