UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2013-01862 Doc No.

C05361058 Date: 09/11/2013

RELEASED IN FULL

ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 PERC-00 DS-00 EAP-00

VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SS-00
DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-01 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /001W
575489 171049Z /38
O 171043Z APR 03
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7868
INFO SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
USCINCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY KIEV

CONFIDENTIALMADRID 001376

FOR EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2013

TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SP
SUBJECT: DEATH OF TELE 5 CAMERAMAN JOSE COUSO

REF: KIEV 1361

CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR GEORGE L. ARGYROS, 1.5 (B) AND (D).

1. (C) JAVIER CARBAJOSA, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO DFM

GIL-CASARES, CONTACTED POLITICAL COUNSELOR APRIL 16 TO
REQUEST INFORMATION ON THE APRIL 8 DEATH OF TELE 5 CAMERAMAN
JOSE COUSO. CARBAJOSA SPECIFIED THAT HIS APPROACH WAS
INFORMAL AND THAT THE SPANISH WERE NEITHER LODGING A
COMPLAINT NOR FORMALLY REQUESTING A US INVESTIGATION. BOTH
FOREIGN MINISTER PALACIO AND DEFENSE MINISTER TRILLO HAD BEEN
UNDER CONSTANT AND HEAVY POLITICAL PRESSURE FROM OPPONENTS
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF COUSO'S DEATH TO CONDEMN THE AZNAR
GOVERNMENTS SUPPORT FOR US POLICY, AND THE GOS WOULD LIKE AS
MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE TO MOUNT A DEFENSE.

2. (C) THE AMBASSADOR MET LATER APRIL 16 WITH TELE 5 DIRECTOR

PAOLO VASILE, AT THE LATTER'S REQUEST. VASILE DESCRIBED A
GENEROUS PACKAGE THAT TELE 5 WAS PROVIDING FOR COUSO'S WIDOW
AND CHILDREN, AND NOTED THAT HE HAD APPROACHED THE SPANISH
GOVERNMENT TO ASK THAT IT DO SOMETHING SIMILAR. VASILE ASKED
THAT THE USG DO WHAT IT COULD TO HELP BRING CLOSURE TO THE
ISSUE.

3. (C) COMMENT/ACTION REQUEST: THE SPANISH LEFT (INCLUDING

MANY LOCAL JOURNALISTS) HAVE WORKED OVERTIME TO TRANSFORM
COUSO'S DEATH FROM A TRAGIC INCIDENT TO A "MURDER" THAT THEY
CAN EXPLOIT TO CONDEMN US POLICY AND THE AZNAR GOVERNMENT'S
SUPPORT FOR IT. CENTCOM HAS STATED PUBLICLY THAT IT
CONTINUES TO INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT AT THE PALESTINE HOTEL
THAT COST COUSO HIS LIFE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS
INVESTIGATION BE COMPLETED EXPEDITIOUSLY, AND THAT AN
UNCLASSIFIED VERSION BE AVAILABLE THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH TELE

REVIEW AUTHORITY: Archie Bolster, Senior Reviewer

UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2013-01862 Doc No. C05361058 Date: 09/11/2013
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5 MANAGEMENT AND WITH COUSO'S FAMILY.

ARGYROS

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UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2013-01862 Doc No. C05361058 Date: 09/11/2013
UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2013-01862 Doc No. C05361050 Date: 10/16/2013
RELEASED IN FULL

ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00

DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 UTED-00
VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 10-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 DHS-00
PER-00 PM-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00
PRM-00 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /000W
82A894 101842Z /38
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FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8821
INFO SECDEF WASHDC
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL BARCELONA

UNCLAS MADRID 002516

DEPT FOR EUR/PPD PICKEREL

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PREL, SP, IZ, MOPS, KPAO
SUBJECT: DEATH OF SPANISH CAMERAMAN JOSE COUSO STILL A LIVE
ISSUE IN SPAIN

1. SUMMARY: RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF JOSE COUSO, THE

SPANISH TELECINCO TV CAMERAMAN WHO WAS KILLED ON THE BALCONY
OF THE PALESTINE HOTEL IN BAGHDAD BY US TANK FIRE ON APRIL
8, CONTINUE THEIR PUBLIC CRUSADE FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO
HIS DEATH. A SERIES OF HIGH-RANKING US OFFICIALS, INCLUDING
SECRETARY POWELL, GEN. TOMMY FRANKS AND CJCS GEN. RICHARD
MEYERS, HAVE ASSURED SPANISH OFFICIALS AND SPANISH MEDIA
THAT THERE IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION INTO THE MATTER.
LACK OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATUS OF THAT INVESTIGATION
CONTINUES TO FUEL ANGER AND PROTESTS. ABOUT TWO HUNDRED
PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE LATEST PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE
EMBASSY ON JULY 8.

2. BACKGROUND: ON APRIL 8, SPANISH TV CAMERAMAN JOSE COUSO

WAS KILLED IN THE PALESTINE HOTEL IN BAGHDAD BY U.S. TANK
FIRE. WHILE THIS WAS A CLASSIC "FOG OF WAR" INCIDENT, THE
TRAGIC EVENT HAS BECOME A LIGHTNING ROD FOR THOSE OPPOSED TO
US POLICY IN IRAQ AND OPPOSED TO THE AZNAR GOVERNMENT'S
SUPPORT FOR THE US. PRESIDENT AZNAR AND PRESIDENT BUSH
ADDRESSED THE ISSUE IN A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE IN
WASHINGTON ON MAY 7. SECRETARY POWELL HAS WRITTEN AND
SPOKEN TO FOREIGN MINISTER PALACIO ABOUT IT. IN A PRESS
CONFERENCE IN MADRID MAY 1, THE SECRETARY SPOKE OF AN
ONGOING INVESTIGATION. IN SEPARATE VISITS TO SPAIN IN JUNE,
GEN. FRANKS AND GEN. MYERS BOTH TALKED OF THE EXISTENCE OF A
CENTCOM INVESTIGATION. KING JUAN CARLOS ASKED FORMER
PRESIDENT BUSH FOR HELP IN RESOLVING THE MATTER WHEN THE TWO
MET IN MADRID IN JUNE. ALTHOUGH EXPECTATIONS HAVE BEEN
RAISED, NO WORD HAS BEEN RECEIVED AS TO THE RESULTS OF THIS
PENTAGON INVESTIGATION.
3. THE FAMILY OF JOSE COUSO, INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED AND

REVIEW AUTHORITY: Archie Bolster, Senior Reviewer

UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2013-01862 Doc No. C05361050 Date: 10/16/2013
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VOCAL, IS PRESSURING THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT TO OPEN ITS OWN

INVESTIGATION. THEY HAVE FILED A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT IN
SPANISH COURTS, NAMING THREE U.S. SOLDIERS -- CAPTAIN PHILIP
WOLFORD, LIEUTENANT COLONEL PHILIP DE CAMP AND SERGEANT
GIBSON, ALL OF THE US 3RD INFANTRY - AND ACCUSING THEM OF
WAR CRIMES. THE COURT HAS NOT YET DECIDED WHETHER TO ACCEPT
JURISDICTION IN THE CASE OR NOT.
4. THE CAUSE OF JOSE COUSO HAS BEEN TAKEN UP BY OTHER GROUPS
AS WELL. THE OPPOSITION SOCIALIST PARTY (PSOE) JULY 9 SENT
A LETTER TO AMBASSADOR ARGYROS DEMANDING A FULL AND
IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION AND FORWARDED PROTEST LETTERS.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IS CALLING ON THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT
TO LAUNCH ITS OWN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH. THE GROUP
SAYS IT HAS COLLECTED 40,000 SIGNATURES IN SUPPORT. THE US-
BASED COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS (CPJ) HAS
ALSO BECOME INVOLVED, WRITING A REPORT ON THE INCIDENT BASED
ON EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS. CPJ HAS CONCLUDED THAT THE ATTACK
WAS NOT DELIBERATE BUT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. THIS PRESS
WATCHDOG GROUP HAS CALLED ON THE PENTAGON TO LAUNCH A
THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT HAPPENED TO ENSURE A
SIMILAR MISTAKE IS NOT MADE IN THE FUTURE.
3. IN A PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE US EMBASSY ON JULY 8, (THE
THIRD MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF THE CAMERAMAN)
SEVERAL HUNDRED FRIENDS, FAMILY, FELLOW MEDIA COLLEAGUES AND
SUPPORTERS OF COUSO DEMANDED JUSTICE FOR THE "WAR CRIMES."
POSTERS WERE HUNG THROUGHOUT MADRID CALLING FOR THE
PROTESTS, AND FOR SIMILAR GATHERINGS EVERY EIGHTH OF THE
MONTH. THE GROUP CREATED "WAR MEDALS" WHICH THEY TRIED TO
PRESENT TO THE US EMBASSY, AND CARRIED SIGNS WITH THE PHOTOS
OF THE TANK CREW, CALLING THEM "MURDERERS" AND "ASSASSINS."

4. ACTION REQUEST: EMBASSY REQUESTS A COPY OF THE REPORT ON

THE INVESTIGATION AND DEFINITIVE LANGUAGE THAT WE CAN USE
BOTH WITH SPANISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND WITH THE PUBLIC.
PRESSURE IS GROWING ON BOTH THE EMBASSY AND ON THE SPANISH
GOVERNMENT IN THE COUSO CASE. EVEN A BALANCED REPORT ON THE
INCIDENT IS UNLIKELY TO SATISFY THE FAMILY AND THEIR
SUPPORTERS. NEVERTHELESS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MEET THE
EXPECTATIONS RAISED AMONG SPANISH OFFICIALS AND PUBLIC
OPINION FOR A CONCLUSIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS US REPORT ON THE
INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT.

HODGES

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UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2013-01862 Doc No. C05361050 Date: 10/16/2013