GAMBIAN MUSLIMS: MAJORITY IGNORE BIN LADEN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000854

DAKAR PASS PRAIA

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

DEPT. FOR AF/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/11
TAGS: PTER PINR XA GA
SUBJECT: GAMBIAN MUSLIMS: MAJORITY IGNORE BIN LADEN

REFS: A) STATE 177569 B) BANJUL 00832 C) BANJUL 00829

CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE DAPHNE TITUS FOR REASONS 1.5(C) AND (D).


1. (U) SUMMARY: WITH A FEW NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS,
GAMBIAN MUSLIMS (95% OF THE POPULATION) SUPPORT THE
U.S. AND ARE UNLIKELY TO HEED THE CALL OF ANTI-
AMERICAN ISLAMIC RADICALS. END SUMMARY.


2. (S) THE MEDIA: POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY MEDIA
OUTLETS WITH A RADICAL ISLAMIC EDITORIAL POLICY.
THE STATE-OWNED GAMBIA RADIO AND TELEVISION SERVICE
(GRTS) HAS ARABIC-LANGUAGE AND MUSLIM-ORIENTED
PROGRAMMING, BUT THE CONTENT IS NEITHER RADICAL NOR
ANTI-AMERICAN.


3. (S) ISLAMIC PREACHING/ TEACHING: AS POST
REPORTED IN REFTEL B, A FEW MOSQUES HAVE HOSTED
PAKISTANI AND SOUTH AFRICAN SPEAKERS, MARAKAS, WHO
PREACHED ANTI-AMERICAN AND ANTI-WESTERN SERMONS AND
PLEDGED TO BOMB THE EMBASSY IF THE U.S. TOOK
MILITARY ACTION AGAINST AFGHANISTAN. THE MARAKAS
WERE SEEN AT THE POLICE, BUNDUNG, AND GRAND
MOSQUES.


4. (S) ISLAMIC PREACHING/TEACHING CONTINUED: AS
POST ALSO REPORTED IN REFTEL B, THE GOTG'S STATE
HOUSE IMAM, IMAM FATTY, WAS THE ONE WELL-KNOWN
MUSLIM IN THE GAMBIA WHO SPOKE OUT PUBLICLY AGAINST
THE US IN THE MONTH AFTER THE SEPT. 11 TRAGEDY. HE
BLAMED US POLICY FOR THE ATTACKS. HIS COMMENTARY
WAS IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO THAT OF THE
PRESIDENT OF THE GAMBIA, A DEVOUT MUSLIM WHO TOLD
CDA AND POLOFF THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION IN ISLAM
FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST THE U.S. (REFTEL C). A RIVAL
IMAM TO IMAM FATTY, IMAM BABA LEIGH, LOST A NEPHEW
IN THE TRAGEDY AND CONTINUES TO PREACH TOLERANCE
AND ANTI-TERRORISM MESSAGES.


5. (S) POLITICAL PARTIES: POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY
POLITICAL PARTY IDENTIFIED WITH ISLAMIC RADICALISM
IN THE GAMBIA.


6. (S) NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS): THE
ISLAMIC CALL SOCIETY (ICS) IS A LIBYAN-SPONSORED
ORGANIZATION LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE EMR.
THE STATED PURPOSE OF THE ICS IS TO TEACH RADICAL
RIGHT-WING ISLAM TO GAMBIANS. IT ALSO SENDS GAMBIANS
FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN LIBYA.


7. (S) FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND PRIVATE
COMPANIES: POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY BANKS,
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, OR PRIVATE COMPANIES KNOWN
OR RUMORED TO HAVE TIES WITH RADICAL ISLAM. IN
MEETINGS THAT WILL BE REPORTED SEPTEL, THE SECRETARY
OF STATE FOR FINANCE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE CENTRAL
BANK OF THE GAMBIA REPORTED THAT THEY ARE NOT AWARE
OF ANY INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS WITH FINANCIAL
ASSETS OR PROPERTY IN THE GAMBIA WHO ARE LINKED TO
TERRORISTS. THEY ALSO PROMISED THEY WOULD CONTINUE
TO AGGRESSIVELY INVESTIGATE ANY SUSPICIOUS TRANSACTIONS
AND REPORT THEIR FINDINGS TO THE EMBASSY.


8. (S) SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDY ABROAD: ICS SENDS
GAMBIAN YOUTHS TO LIBYA FOR TRAINING IN RELIGION,
AS WELL AS SPECIAL OPERATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND
POSSIBLY WEAPONS. LESS RADICAL LOCAL YOUTHS WHO
WANT TO STUDY DO SO AT LOCAL SCHOOLS AND MOSQUES.
PROSPECTIVE IMAMS TRAIN UNDER THE CURRENT IMAM AT
LOCAL SCHOOLS OR MOSQUES.


9. (S) FOREIGN ITINERANTS: POST DOES NOT HAVE ANY
BIOGRAPHIC DATA ON THE PAKISTANI AND SOUTH AFRICAN
INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN PARA 3 AND REFTEL B.
HOWEVER, THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE RUMORED TO HAVE LEFT
THE GAMBIA SHORTLY AFTER POST MENTIONED THEIR
ACTIVITIES TO POLICE AND MILITARY AUTHORITIES.


10. (S) CONTACT INFORMATION AND RUMORS: ABOUT EIGHT
MONTHS AGO SENEGALESE AUTHORITIES STOPPED A VESSEL
ATTEMPTING TO BRING A LARGE VOLUME OF WEAPONS TO
THE GAMBIA AND ABOUT 10 POSSIBLE MERCENARIES WERE
TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. AROUND THE SAME TIME, A VESSEL
FROM IRAN RUMORED TO BE CARRYING WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION DROPPED OFF TWO OR THREE CONTAINERS IN
THE GAMBIA (CONTENTS UNKNOWN) AND DEPARTED FOR
SYRIA.


TITUS