Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03HARARE175
2003-01-27 12:10:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Harare
Cable title:  

POSSIBLE THREAT TO US EMBASSIES IN EAST AFRICA

Tags:  ASEC PTER 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T HARARE 000175 

SIPDIS

SECRET NOFORN

SIPDIS
TERREP

DEPT FOR DS/OP/AF, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/ICI/PII

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2013
TAGS: ASEC PTER
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE THREAT TO US EMBASSIES IN EAST AFRICA

REF: 01 STATE 75291

Classified By: RSO - JOHN S. DICARLO. REASON 1.5(D)

S E C R E T HARARE 000175

SIPDIS

SECRET NOFORN

SIPDIS
TERREP

DEPT FOR DS/OP/AF, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/ICI/PII

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2013
TAGS: ASEC PTER
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE THREAT TO US EMBASSIES IN EAST AFRICA

REF: 01 STATE 75291

Classified By: RSO - JOHN S. DICARLO. REASON 1.5(D)


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: ON 24 JANUARY 2003 RSO WAS CONTACTED
AFTER HOURS BY MR. JERRY REDEMPTUS WHO PROVIDED LIMITED
INFORMATION REGARDING A POSSIBLE TERRORIST OPERATION AGAINST
THE US EMBASSIES KAMPALA, NAIROBI, AND DAR ES SALAAM FROM
AL-QAEDA. REDEMPTUS STATED THAT INDIVIDUALS IN DAR ES SALAAM
WOULD PROVIDE THREAT RELATED INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY
TARGETING US EMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM FOR THREE MILLION US
DOLLARS. IN ADDITION, SOURCES IN DAR ES SALAAM WOULD ALSO
PROVIDE THE IDENTITIES AND LOCATION OF 3 OR 4 SENIOR AL-QAEDA
MEMBERS IN CHECHENIA.

RSO BRIEFED ORCA SAME DAY OF ABOVE INFORMATION AND HOW TO
CONTACT REDEMPTUS.


2. (C/NF) WALK-IN BIO DATA:


A. NAME: JERRY REDEMPTUS

B. DPOB: 21 OCTOBER 1971 INDIA "ETHNIC INDIAN"

C. PASSPORT INFORMATION: ZIMBABWE CITIZEN. SUBJECT HAS AN
ARIZONA DRIVERS LICENSE NUMBER B13724585, ISSUED ON 8/6/1996,
EXPIRATION DATE 10/29/2031 WITH A LAST KNOWN ADDRESS OF 1440
EAST PIERCE STREET PHOENIX, AZ.

D. DESCRIPTION: BROWN MALE, APPROXIMATELY 5'8", HEAVY BUILD,
BLACK HAIR, BROWN EYES

E. CURRENT PROFESSION: AIR FREIGHT OPERATOR

F. CURRENT RESIDENCE: 77 ENTERPRISE ROAD, HARARE, ZIMBABWE

G. PARTIAL CV: N/A

H. RELATIVES: MARRIED WITH TWO CHILDREN
I: CONTACT INFORMATION: 263-4-705-796, OR 263-4-091-345-089


3. (S/NF) ON 24 JANUARY 2003, RSO RECEIVED A PHONE CALL AT
1510 HOURS FROM REDEMPTUS REQUESTING AN URGENT MEETING AND
STATING THAT HE WOULD NOT COME TO THE EMBASSY. THEREFORE, AT
1600 HOURS, RSO MET SUBJECT AT HIS RESIDENCE, 77 ENTERPRISE
ROAD, HARARE, ZIMBABWE. SUBJECT STATED THAT HE IS CHRISTIAN
AND OPERATES AN AIR FREIGHT BUSINESS HERE IN HARARE. HE
MAKES REGULAR TRIPS TO EAST AND SOUTH AFRICA HAULING AIR
FREIGHT FOR INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS. REDEMPTUS STATED THAT
WHILE ON A RECENT BUSINESS TRIP TO DAR ES SALAAM, HE WAS
APPROACHED BY BUSINESS ASSOCIATES STATING THAT THEY HAD
SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT A PLANNED ATTACK BY AL-QAEDA ON
THE US EMBASSY IN DAR ES SALAAM. THIS INFORMATION INCLUDED
EITHER "BLUE PRINTS" AND OR DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT NEW
SECURITY SYSTEMS AT THE EMBASSY. HE STATED THAT THESE
BUSINESS ASSOCIATES WANT TO SELL THIS INFORMATION FOR THREE
MILLION US DOLLARS. FURTHERMORE, THEY HAD ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ABOUT FUTURE PLANNED ATTACKS AGAINST US EMBASSIES
IN KAMPALA AND NAIROBI. REDEMPTUS ALSO ADVISED THESE
ASSOCIATES HAD INFORMATION CONCERNING THE LOCATION AND
IDENTITIES OF 3 OR 4 SENIOR AL-QAEDA MEMBERS IN CHECHENIA.
THE SOURCE OF INFORMATION CONCERNING THESE THREATS TO US
EMBASSIES MENTIONED ABOVE ORIGINATED FROM KAMPALA AND THE
INFORMATION ABOUT AL-QAEDA MEMBERS IN CHECHENIA ORIGINATES
FROM NAIROBI. REDEMPTUS STATED THAT BUSINESS ASSOCIATES IN
DAR ES SALAAM WOULD BE WILLING TO FLY TO HARARE FOR A DEBRIEF
AND DISCUSS PAYMENT. REDEMPTUS IS ALSO MOTIVATED BY ANY
REWARD MONEY RESULTING FROM THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN ATTACKS AGAINST THE USG.


4. (C/NF) RSO COMMENTS: REDEMPTUS BELIEVES INFORMATION
GIVEN BY BUSINESS ASSOCIATES. HOWEVER, WHEN RSO PRESSED FOR
DETAILS I.E. WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE AND HOW - REDEMPTUS COULD
ONLY GIVE LIMITED, FRAGMENTED THIRD PARTY INFORMATION.
ANOTHER SUSPICIOUS ITEM WAS THE EXPIRATION DATE OF HIS
ARIZONA DRIVERS LICENSE. THE EXPIRATION DATE IS OCTOBER 29,

2031. RSO IS NOT AWARE OF ANY STATE ISSUING A DRIVERS
LICENSE IN 1996 WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF 2031.


5. (S/NF) RSO PLANS NO FURTHER MEETINGS WITH REDEMPTUS AND
PASSED INFORMATION TO ORCA FOR THEIR ACTION.

REGARDS.
SULLIVAN