SOMALIA: AIDID "AMBASSADOR" ACCUSES ITALIAN GOVERNMENT OF GRAND LARCENY, ATTEMPTED MURDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 001402 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2012 TAGS: PREL ET SO ET SO ET SO IT ITPREL ITPREL SUBJECT: SOMALIA: AIDID "AMBASSADOR" ACCUSES ITALIAN GOVERNMENT OF GRAND LARCENY, ATTEMPTED MURDER REF: K. METRES-G. COLVIN (AF/E) TELCONS AND EMAILS FEB. 12-MARCH 4 CLASSIFIED BY: POL M C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASON 1.5 (B) AND (D) SUMMARY -------------- CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 01402 01 OF 03 191616Z ¶1. (C) POLOFF MET WITH FADUMA FARAH AIDID, THE SISTER OF "SOMALI PRESIDENT" HUSSEIN MOHAMED AIDID AND DAUGHTER OF THE ASSASSINATED WARLORD GENERAL AIDID FEBRUARY 20. HUSSEIN AIDID IS THE HEAD OF THE SOMALI RECONCILIATION AND RESTORATION COUNCIL (SRRC) FACTION BUT HAS NO REAL CLAIM TO BEING PRESIDENT OF SOMALIA. EXPRESSING EXTREME DISTRUST OF ITALIAN AND EUROPEAN INTENTIONS, MS. AIDID SOUGHT A "NEW PARTNERSHIP" BETWEEN SOMALIA AND THE UNITED STATES. ACCORDING TO THE MFA, MS. AIDID HAS A NUMBER OF BEEFS AGAINST THE GOI, PRINCIPALLY THAT SHE IS UNABLE TO ACCESS THE SOMALI EMBASSY AND ITS BANK ACCOUNT. SHE MADE A NUMBER OF SERIOUS AND INCREDIBLE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE GOI, INCLUDING THAT THE GOI HAD STOLEN SOMALI GOVERNMENT PROPERTY, PERMITTED ARMS TO BE SMUGGLED INTO SOMALIA, AND SENT ASSASSINS TO KILL HER BROTHER. PER REFCON INTEREST, POST'S MEETING WITH AIDID IS FULLY TRANSMITTED FOR THE RECORD. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) PRESENTING A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS TO BOLSTER HER CLAIM TO REPRESENT THE GOVERNMENT OF SOMALIA AS ITS AMBASSADOR, FADUMA FARAH AIDID REQUESTED A MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR "IN ORDER TO REESTABLISH NORMAL DIPLOMATIC, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN SOMALIA AND THE UNITED STATES." THE REQUEST WAS SIGNED BY AN ITALIAN NAMED FRANCO CANNATA', IDENTIFIED AS GENERAL COUNSELOR FOR SPECIAL AFFAIRS OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC. ON FEBRUARY 20, AIDID AND CANNATA MET WITH POLOFF AT THE U.S. EMBASSY. THEY ARRIVED AN HOUR LATE, AND MS. AIDID ADDRESSED POLOFF IN THE FAMILIAR VOICE (IN ITALIAN). HER RAMBLING, ACCUSATORY REMARKS LACKED IN DIPLOMATIC FINESSE AND CREDIBILITY. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 01402 01 OF 03 191616Z WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE AND WHAT DO THEY REPRESENT? -------------- --- ¶3. (C) MS. AIDID IS THE DAUGHTER OF ASSASSINATED WARLORD GENERAL AIDID AND SISTER OF "SOMALI PRESIDENT" HUSSEIN MOHAMED AIDID. ACCORDING TO MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR EAST AFRICAN AFFAIRS PAOLA IMPERIALE, HUSSEIN AIDID REPRESENTS HIMSELF INSIDE SOMALIA AS THE HEAD OF THE ETHIOPIAN-ALLIED SRRC, NOT CHIEF OF STATE. HIS ONLY CLAIM TO BEING "PRESIDENT" IS PHYSICAL POSSESSION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE. IMPERIALE DISMISSED HIM AS NOT EVEN A PARTICULARLY INFLUENTIAL WARLORD. STILL MORE ODDLY, HUSSEIN HAD RECENTLY BYPASSED HIS SISTER AND CANNATA TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE GOI VIA ANOTHER ITALIAN. (THE MESSAGE STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO CONSULT WITH THE GOI REGARDING THE UPCOMING NAIROBI PEACE CONFERENCE, IN WHICH THE SRRC HAS AGREED TO PARTICIPATE. IMPERIALE NOTED THAT THE GOI HAD SENT TWO MESSAGES TO ETHIOPIA, THE FIRST ENCOURAGING ETHIOPIA TO PARTICIPATE AND THE SECOND RECOGNIZING ITS INFLUENCE OVER CERTAIN PARTIES--READ SRRC--AND ASKING IT TO CONVINCE THEM TO PARTICIPATE.) ¶4. (C) ACCORDING TO BACKGROUND INFORMATION FROM IMPERIALE, MS. AIDID AND CANNATA--WHO IS EITHER HER HUSBAND OR LIVE-IN PARTNER--WENT TO THE MFA PROTOCOL OFFICE LATE LAST YEAR TO REQUEST THAT A POLICE ESCORT BE PROVIDED SO THAT SHE COULD OCCUPY THE SOMALI EMBASSY. THE FORMER CONSUL GENERAL (A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LATE AIDID SR.'S GOVERNMENT) LIVES IN THE EMBASSY AS A CARETAKER AND GUARDIAN OF ITS SECRET FILES. PROTOCOL INFORMED MS. AIDID THAT IT WOULD BE UNABLE TO HELP HER ACCESS THE EMBASSY, SINCE SHE WAS NO LONGER AN ACCREDITED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ROME 01402 01 OF 03 191616Z DIPLOMAT IN ITALY AND THE GOI DID NOT RECOGNIZE ANY GOVERNMENT IN SOMALIA. IN EARLY DECEMBER, JUST BEFORE SENDING HER MEETING REQUEST TO US, AIDID ASKED THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE TO PROVIDE HER ACCESS TO THE SOMALI EMBASSY'S BANK ACCOUNT. AIDID WAS INFORMED THAT THE MINISTRY DID NOT KNOW IF OR WHERE THE EMBASSY STILL HAD FUNDS IN ITALY. IN ANY CASE, IT WOULD BE UNABLE TO OBLIGE A BANK TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO HER WITHOUT EITHER WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE ACCOUNT SIGNATORIES OR INSTRUCTIONS FROM A RECOGNIZED SOMALI GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY. ¶5. (C) MS. AIDID PROVIDED POST WITH A DOCUMENT THAT INDICATES THAT SHE CAME TO ITALY IN 1986 AS AN ACCREDITED THIRD SECRETARY AT THE EMBASSY; SHE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CONTINUALLY RESIDENT HERE SINCE. MS. AIDID ALSO PRESENTED A COURT DECISION STATING THAT IN JUNE 2000, THE PREFECT OF VITERBO ORDERED HER DEPORTED FOR REMAINING WITHOUT APPLYING FOR RESIDENCY. HE APPARENTLY BELIEVED THAT HER DIPLOMATIC VISA WAS NO LONGER VALID, SINCE SHE DID NOT REPRESENT A RECOGNIZED GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, AIDID PREVAILED BEFORE A JUDGE, WHO RULED THAT SINCE IT WAS NOT CLEAR WHO REPRESENTED CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ5916 PAGE 01 ROME 01402 02 OF 03 191616Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NEA-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 PM-00 EPAE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 SAS-00 /004W -------------- 777BB4 191616Z /38 R 191532Z MAR 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2831 INFO IGAD COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY RIYADH AMEMBASSY SANAA CIA WASHDC C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 001402 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2012 TAGS: PREL ET SO ET SO ET SO IT ITPREL ITPREL SUBJECT: SOMALIA: AIDID "AMBASSADOR" ACCUSES ITALIAN GOVERNMENT OF GRAND LARCENY, ATTEMPTED MURDER SOMALIA, SHE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO STAY UNTIL HER VISA EXPIRED IN 2001. (COMMENT: SINCE HER VISA AND PASSPORT EXPIRED LAST YEAR, HER APPROACH TO US AND OTHERS--SEE PARA 9--MAY BE ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN INTERNATIONAL VISIBILITY SO THAT THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT WILL NOT MOVE TO DEPORT HER. END COMMENT.) FOR THESE REASONS AND OTHERS, AIDID SEEMS TO HARBOR CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 01402 02 OF 03 191616Z EXTREME ANIMOSITY TOWARD THE GOI. PARAS 6-8 PROVIDE A COMPILATION OF HER VIEWS. SPIES AND MEDDLING FOREIGNERS EVERYWHERE -------------- ¶6. (C) --MS. AIDID WANTS TO PREVENT THE GOI FROM DOING FURTHER (UNSPECIFIED) DAMAGE TO SOMALIA. --THE "GOS" (AS REPRESENTED BY MS. AIDID) IS READY TO DROP EUROPE AND WORK WITH THE UNITED STATES. --THE LETTERS THAT HER GOVERNMENT HAS SENT TO THE USG DO NOT ARRIVE BECAUSE THE ITALIAN SECRET SERVICE TAKES THEM. --THE ARAB COUNTRIES DO NOT WANT SOMALIA TO ADVANCE. THE GOI USES ARABS TO ADVANCE ITS ANTI-SOMALIA AGENDA. --FOREIGN MERCENARIES ARE ENTERING SOMALIA FROM ERITREA. THE ITALIAN MFA AND MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR ARE COLLUDING IN PASSPORT FRAUD TO FACILITATE THIS MOVEMENT. --THE GOI MAINTAINS A MILITARY SATELLITE ABOVE THE INDIAN OCEAN THAT PROVIDES INFORMATION TO ARAB AND SOMALI TERRORISTS IN ORDER TO FACILITATE ASSASSINATIONS IN SOMALIA. --THE ITALIAN AMBASSADOR WHO WAS EXPELLED FROM ERITREA WAS A COLONEL IN THE ITALIAN SECRET SERVICE BEFORE BEING SENT TO ERITREA TO SPY ON SOMALIA. --THE GOI COLLABORATES WITH THE "FOLLOWERS OF SIAD BARRE" WHO LIVE IN THE SOMALI EMBASSY PROPERTY. (COMMENT: ACCORDING TO IMPERIALE, THE CARETAKER OF THE EMBASSY IS A FORMER AIDID, SR. REPRESENTATIVE AND COLLEAGUE OF MS. AIDID'S. SHE NOTED THAT AIDID, SR. HIMSELF WAS A BARRE PROTG UNTIL THE TWO BEGAN TO STRUGGLE FOR POWER. END COMMENT.) --THE GOI IS THE "ONLY GOVERNMENT IN THE WORLD THAT ARROGATES TO ITSELF THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHO REPRESENTS SOMALIA." CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 01402 02 OF 03 191616Z GRAND LARCENY -------------- ¶7. (C) --THE GOI STOLE $5M OF SOMALI GOVERNMENT MONEY AND SENT IT TO BARRE THROUGH ITS CENTRAL BANK. BECAUSE IT CAN NO LONGER STEAL FUNDS UNDER THE AIDID, JR. GOVERNMENT, IT WANTS TO DESTABILIZE SOMALIA. "ITALY IS MAKING WAR AGAINST US." --THE GOI ARRESTED HER (COMMENT: FOR VIOLATING IMMIGRATION LAW END COMMENT) BECAUSE IT WAS AFRAID SHE WOULD EXPOSE ITS WRONGDOING. --COL. LUCA RAJOLA PESCARINI STOLE THE SOMALI GOVERNMENT FLEET OF SHIPS IN 1991. --ITALIANS ARE USING HAWALA-TYPE MONEY SYSTEMS ASTEL AND NATIONLINK TO FACILITATE THEIR ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. --PRESIDENT CIAMPI AND PM BERLUSCONI ARE MEMBERS OF BARAKAT THROUGH TELECOM ITALIA. ARMS SMUGGLING AND ATTEMPTED MURDER -------------- ¶8. (C) ACCORDING TO MS. AIDID, BOTH THE "KARINE-A" AND SHIPS BEARING ARMS FOR SOMALIA DEPARTED FROM ITALY. FURTHERMORE, MERCENARIES FINANCED BY BERLUSCONI TRIED TEN TIMES IN JULY TO ASSASSINATE HER BROTHER HUSSEIN. ¶9. (SBU) IN MID-MARCH, POST WAS CONTACTED BY AN ISRAELI EMBASSY CONTACT SEEKING INFORMATION ON MS. AIDID, APPARENTLY TO HANDLE A REQUEST FOR A MEETING. COMMENT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ROME 01402 02 OF 03 191616Z -------------- ¶10. (C) BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED FROM THE MFA, WE WONDER IF "AMBASSADOR" AIDID REPRESENTS EVEN HER FAMILY, MUCH LESS ANYTHING APPROACHING A GOVERNMENT. END COMMENT. ¶11. (SBU) THE FOLLOWING IS A LETTER (UNOFFICIALLY TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN) WRITTEN IN FAVOR OF MS. AIDID'S CAUSE BY GUILIANO PISAPIA, A COMMUNIST RENEWAL REPRESENTATIVE IN THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES. PISAPIA IS ARRIVING AN HOUR LATE AND MAKING THE FAUX PAS OF ADDRESSING POLOFF IN THE FAMILIAR VOICE (IN ITALIAN),AIDID'S RAMBLING, ACCUSATORY REMARKS SORELY LACKED IN DIPLOMATIC FINESSE AND CREDIBILITY. ONE OF A NUMBER OF ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS THAT SUPPORT PRO-ETHIOPIAN FACTIONS IN SOMALIA. BEGIN TEXT. TO THE MINISTERS OF INTERIORS AND OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: WITNESSETH THAT CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ5915 PAGE 01 ROME 01402 03 OF 03 191616Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 DODE-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EUR-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 EPAE-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 777BC3 191616Z /38 R 191532Z MAR 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2832 INFO IGAD COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY RIYADH AMEMBASSY SANAA CIA WASHDC C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 001402 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2012 TAGS: PREL ET SO ET SO ET SO IT ITPREL ITPREL SUBJECT: SOMALIA: AIDID "AMBASSADOR" ACCUSES ITALIAN GOVERNMENT OF GRAND LARCENY, ATTEMPTED MURDER BY DECREE DATED JUNE 6, 2000, THE PREFECT OF VITERBO ORDERED THE DEPORTATION OF THE SOMALI CITIZEN FADUMA FARAH AIDID FOR REMAINING IN THE STATE TERRITORY WITHOUT APPLYING FOR THE RESIDENCE PERMIT WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TERM; MS. AIDID, DAUGHTER OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC, GENERAL AIDID, KILLED IN 1996, AND SISTER OF THE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 01402 03 OF 03 191616Z CURRENT PRESIDENT HUSSEIN MOHAMED AIDID, CAME TO ITALY IN 1986 ACCREDITED TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AS THIRD SECRETARY AT THE EMBASSY OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC IN ROME; SIPDIS IN THE DEPORTATION ORDER, IT IS STATED THAT MS. AIDID &IS NO LONGER A STAFF MEMBER8 OF THE SOMALI MISSION TO ITALY; SUCH A STATEMENT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY ANY DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE AND IS CONTRADICTED BY THE FACT THAT MS. AIDID IS THE HOLDER OF A DIPLOMATIC VISA VALID UNTIL 2001 AND OF A NOTE OF ACCREDITATION RELEASED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC; THE TRIBUNAL OF VITERBO, THEREFORE, HAS INVALIDATED THE DEPORTATION ORDER BY JUDICIAL RULING ON JUNE 28, 2000; THE GENERAL COUNSELOR FOR SPECIAL AFFAIRS AT THE EMBASSY OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC TO ITALY, MR. FRANCO CANNATA,, IN A COMPLAINT SENT TO THE REPUBLIC PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE HAS POINTED TO THE FACT THAT THE EMBASSY BUILDING HAS BEEN ILLEGALLY TAKEN OVER BY PERSONS UNRELATED TO THE DIPLOMATIC MISSION, NAMELY BY EXPONENTS OF THE REGIME OF SIAD BARRE, OVERTHROWN IN 1991, WHO ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO PERFORM FUNCTIONS THAT ARE NOT RECOGNIZED AS THEIR OWN BY EITHER THE LEGITIMATE SOMALI GOVERNMENT OR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY; THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS NOT INTERVENED, SO FAR, TO PUT AN END TO THIS SITUATION AND HAS, INSTEAD, INCREASED THE GENERAL CONFUSION IN THAT IT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT OF MOGADISHU, SO THAT THE SOMALI EMBASSY TO ITALY DOES NOT EXIST AT PRESENT; CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 01402 03 OF 03 191616Z IN ADDITION, THE DIPLOMATIC COUNSELOR OF THE SOMALI EMBASSY HAS DENOUNCED IRREGULAR AND INTIMIDATING BEHAVIORS FROM THE INTELLIGENCE AND THE ITALIAN POLICE FORCES; REQUESTS TO KNOW: WHAT INFORMATION THEY HAVE IN RELATION TO THE ABOVE MENTIONED FACTS AND WHAT MEASURES THEY INTEND TO ADOPT, IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW TOWARD THE DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC IN ITALY AND, IN PARTICULAR, TO REMOVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THIS STATE OF UNCERTAINTY, WHICH IS CREATING SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR SOMALI CITIZENS RESIDING IN ITALY; WHAT MEASURES THEY INTEND TO ADOPT TO ASCERTAIN THE VERACITY OF THE STATEMENTS BY THE DIPLOMATIC COUNSELOR OF THE EMBASSY OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC. HON. GIULIANO PISAPIA END TEXT. SEMBLER CONFIDENTIAL > 2002ROME01402 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL