Incident remains very murky, but hijack

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001720

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, DS/DSS/ITA, S/CT;
NSC FOR E. MILLARD; LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09-16-12
TAGS: PTER PGOV EAIR ASEC MV IN SE
SUBJECT: Incident remains very murky, but hijack
attempt near Maldives may have had an Islamic connection

Refs: (A) USDAO Colombo Ce IIR 6 816 0113 02
- (B) USDAO Colombo Ce IIR 6 816 0111 02
- (C) Port Louis 1059
- (D) Port Louis 1055
- (E) USDAO Colombo Ce IIR 6 816 0110 02
- (F) Colombo 1662, and previous

(U) Classified by W. Lewis Amselem, Charge d'Affaires.
Reasons 1.5 (b, d).


1. (C) Summary: Amid many conflicting, convoluted
reports, Mission has received tentative information that
the attempted hijacking of an Air Seychelles flight near
the Maldives last week may have had an Islamic
connection. Information is very sketchy, but DAO has
learned that of the ten men now in detention in the
Maldives one may be a Bangladeshi national and some of
the rest Muslims from the Indian state of Gujarat
(Mission has received late word that some of these men
have been released). Given the timeframe of the
incident (just before the 9/11 anniversary),this latest
information is possibly indicative of some sort of
Islamic extremist plot, although it is not conclusive in
any way. A/RSO, previously scheduled to travel to the
Maldives on September 17, will coordinate with Maldivian
authorities in an attempt to gather definitive
information about this murky incident. End Summary.


2. (C) Mission continues to pick up conflicting and
convoluted reports about the September 9 attempt to
hijack an Air Seychelles flight near the Maldives.
Initial reports indicated that the attempt was carried
out by an apparently unstable individual, an Indian
national armed with a knife, who was apprehended by
cabin personnel when he attempted to break into the
cockpit. Subsequent reports indicated that the
Maldivian authorities were holding ten of the plane's
passengers for investigation, all apparently Indians
with Hindu names (see Para three). Per Ref A, DAO
sources now state that of the ten men being detained in
the incident at least one may be a Bangladeshi national
and at least some of the others Muslims from the Indian
state of Gujarat. This is the first information that
Mission has received indicating that the incident may
have had any Islamic connection. According to DAO
sources, there is also new information that those
detained may have wanted to take the aircraft to an
unknown destination in the Middle East. (Note: Late
September 16, Mission heard that nine of the ten men
detained were released.)


3. (C) The latest information that at least some of
those detained may possibly be Muslims contradicts
earlier reports that made out the alleged perpetrators
to be Indian nationals who were apparently Hindus based
on the names in their passports. Sources now report
that the passports of those detained may have have been
forged, perhaps in Nairobi, Kenya. (Note: Ref B
contains a list of the purported names of those
detained. Initial Washington checks have turned up no
information on these names.)


4. (C) Despite the new information, there is still no
indication on whether the attempted hijacking involved a
political motivation, such as Islamic extremism. For
their part, the Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the Maldivian National Security Service have told
Mission that they do not (repeat not) believe that the
attempted hijacking had an Islamic extremist motivation.
They note, however, that their investigation into the
case is continuing. Mission understands that the Indian
government is also looking into what transpired. (Note:
The Indian High Commission has confirmed that Prime
Minister Vajpayee plans to travel to the Maldives at
some point in the next week on a long-planned visit.)


5. (C) Comment: Given the constant swirl of
conflicting reports, the whole incident seems murky at
best. The latest information that the alleged
perpetrators of the attempted hijacking may be Muslims
is very tentative, but it raises the troubling question
of whether the incident involved some sort of Islamic
extremist plot. It should not be overlooked, for
example, that the incident took place on September 9,
just before the one-year anniversary of 9/11. (Note:
According to press reports, three men carrying knives
were also detained by Indian authorities on September 9
for attempting to board a flight to Riyadh at Bombay's
international airport.) The possibility that the
incident also involved passports forged so as to make
the bearer out to be a non-Muslim is also interesting
from a modus operandi standpoint.


6. (SBU) In an attempt to gather definitive
information, A/RSO, previously scheduled to travel to
the Maldives on September 17, will coordinate with
Maldivian authorities about this murky incident. End
Comment.


7. (U) Minimize considered.

AMSELEM