Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PORTAUPRINCE1790
2005-07-06 14:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:  

HNP BRIEF ON DREAD WILME GANG INFORMATION

Tags:  PGOV PREL ASEC HA 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 PORT AU PRINCE 001790 

SIPDIS

WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT FOR DS/IP/WHA
DS/DSS/ITA
DSERCC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC HA
SUBJECT: HNP BRIEF ON DREAD WILME GANG INFORMATION

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Douglas M. Griffiths, reasons 1.4 (B)
and (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 PORT AU PRINCE 001790

SIPDIS

WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT FOR DS/IP/WHA
DS/DSS/ITA
DSERCC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC HA
SUBJECT: HNP BRIEF ON DREAD WILME GANG INFORMATION

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Douglas M. Griffiths, reasons 1.4 (B)
and (D)


1. (C) Summary: A Haitian National Police (HNP) contact
recently provided a copy of an investigation supposedly
conducted by an outside consultant to the HNP on the subject
of Cite Soleil gang leader, Dread Wilme. The document, dated
May 2005, gives a brief background of Wilme, his weapons,
activities and politics, as well as a list of principal gang
members and their weapons. At the end of the document there
is also a list of gang members killed or wounded in recent
months. Post is unable to confirm the reliability of the
document or details of how the information was obtained.
Below is a summary translation of the document. End summary.


Overview of Dred Wilme's criminal gang
--------------


2. (SBU) Emmanuel Wilner, known as "Dread Wilme", was born in
the commune of Ferrier (Ouanaminthe) before moving to the
Delmas 2 neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, and later the Bois
Neuf area of Cite Soleil. Wilme's gang began as a
neighborhood "Vigilance Brigade" but was co-opted by Lavalas
to conduct pro-Aristide missions soon after the attack on the
National Palace on December 17, 2001. In the years since,
Wilme consolidated power over the entire slum area of Cite
Soleil, gaining total supremacy following the death of rival
gang leader of the Boston district, Thomas Robinson (alias
"Labaniere") on March 30, 2005. Wilme's gang is now the most
powerful, best structured criminal organization in Haiti, and
Dread Wilme is the most powerful criminal in the country.


3. (SBU) Cite Soleil is divided into a series of
neighborhoods, each controlled by a gang lieutenant who
reports directly to Wilme in Bois Neuf. Wilme controls the
provision of weapons and resources to all the other gang
chiefs in Cite Soleil, and is connected to some degree to
other criminal gang leaders throughout the country. This
explains the collaboration that arose between Wilme and
former self-proclaimed ex-FADH leaders Ravix Remissainthe and
Grenn Sonen.


Weapons Sources
--------------


4. (C) The gang possesses an array of arms of every caliber,
including rifles and pistols. These weapons were obtained
from four principal sources:

A) Weapons distributed to the gang directly by the Lavalas
regime;

B) Weapons stolen during attacks against police officers,
foreign soldiers, and security guards from the area around
Cite Soleil;

C) Arms purchased on the black market in Haiti and the
Dominican Republic;

D) Weapons furnished by other sources (Note: Judicial Police
Director Michael Lucius has suggested that weapons also flow
from sympathizers in the Dominican Republic and from HNP
officers, notably from the anti-gang unit (SAIG) and former
Palace Guard members (septel). End note).


5. (C) Ammunition is obtained mostly via a pipeline of
couriers coming from the Dominican Republic. The majority of
the ammunition passes through the border at Ouanaminthe
before making its way to Port-au-Prince (specifically Rue des
Cesars),hidden in cartons of tomato sauce and other produce.
Wilme and his lieutenants, "Amaral" and "Beken," are the only
members who make contact with the ammunitions couriers.
Transport of the ammunition is led by a small, red Yamaha
motorcycle. Other suppliers, including "Ti DGI" and "Dread
Claude", also obtain weapons and ammunition from other
suppliers on the local market.


Gang structure
--------------


6. (C) Each local gang lieutenant controls a few dozen
"soldiers." Any hint of betrayal is punished by the murder of
the entire family of the soldier. Wilme tightly controls all
cellphones possessed by gang members and other Cite Soleil
residents. The number of soldiers is constantly increasing
due to the integration of the "Argentines," bandits who came
to Cite Soleil to fight voluntarily or because they were
sought by the police. There are twelve lieutenants, each who
control a specific neighborhood:

Archange -- Wharf (17 soldiers)
Amaral -- Belecourt (20-25 soldiers)
Zaro -- Soleil 17 (15 soldiers)
Wallas -- Projet Drouillard (unknown soldiers) (Note: Wallas
reportedly was killed in June. End note)
Beauvais -- Soleil 4 (11 soldiers)
Berson -- Soleil 19 (28 soldiers)
Reginald -- Soleil 19 (5 soldiers)
Yoyo Pimam -- Rue La Paix (8 soldiers)
Evens -- Boston (30 soldiers)
Ti Rail -- Soleil 9 (8 soldiers)
Bazile -- Soleil 13 (8 soldiers)
Ti Dodo -- Norway (9 soldiers)


Financial sources
--------------


7. (C) Wilme's gang receives money from three primary sources:

A) Carjacking -- vehicles stolen and later ransomed back to
the owners or resold elsewhere;

B) Kidnapping -- Kidnapping is controlled tightly by Dread
Wilme and Amaral. The soldiers typically used for kidnapping
are: Frantsy, Daniel, Papo, Belony, Claude, and Evens;

C) Commercial extortion -- Certain business owners regularly
give Dread Wilme protection money.


Politics
--------------


8. (C) Dread Wilme remains in contact with ex-President
Aristide. In addition, a religious leader visits Wilme
regularly to perform religious ceremonies and deliver
provisions (food, oil). (Note: the name of the leader is not
named though it is suggested he is a man of some political
stature, ie. Father Jean Juste. End note).


HNP contacts
--------------


9. (C) Wilme maintains numerous contacts at the head of the
HNP who inform him of operations and procure ammunition for
him. Communication with these HNP contacts is handled
directly by Wilme or by "Ti DGI." (Note: Lucius told us July
1 that "Ti DGI" is the leader of weapons procurement for the
gangs and is one of the HNP's "Most Wanted." End note).


Medical care
--------------


10. (C) Wounded soldiers are never taken to the hospital, but
rather, following every battle with police, a Red Cross
vehicle comes to care for the wounded in the center of Cite
Soleil, specifically at Soleil 19 at the entrance to the
Saint Anne church. The chauffer of the "religious leader"
cited above also is an expert in removing bullets and is used
for that purpose.


Partial list of soldiers and their arms
--------------


11. (C) Below is a partial list of soldiers and their weapons
as of May, 2005:

Dread Wilme -- Bois Neuf, galil and 9mm pistol

Alain Cadet -- Bois Neuf, T65
Amaral -- Belecourt, galil
Archange -- Wharf, T65
Bab Mamoune -- Soleil 19 (originally Rue 9),Fhal
Babayo -- Soleil 9, Fhal
Bebe -- Boston, galil
Bebe -- Soleil 19, 38 revolver
Beken -- Belecourt, 12 guage (in charge with ammunition
purchases)
Belony -- Bois Neuf, M14
Beauvais -- Soleil 4, T65
Benecia -- Projet Drouillard Bloc O (Wilme's cook)
Berson -- Soleil 19, T65
Blan Manni -- Belecourt, M14
Bofolio -- Soleil 13, Uzi
Boss -- Belecourt, Uzi
Bric-a-Brac owner on Ruelle la Paix -- Uzi, M1, 9mm pistol
Cinquante -- Soleil 17, 38 revolver
Claude -- Boston, M1
Dadou -- Boston, Uzi
Damacene -- Fougie, T65
Daniel -- Bois Neuf, M1
Diol Bokit -- Soleil 13, Kalashnikov
Doya -- Belecourt, Uzi (Amaral's brother)
Dread Matino -- Carrefour Duvivier, pistol
Evens -- Boston, Fhal
Fhararon -- Projet Sainte Catherine, galil
Ford -- Bois Neuf, ADP Pistol
Francillou -- Soleil 17, T65
Frantsy -- Bois Neuf, M14
Frantz "Tchoule" -- Soleil 17, Kalashnikov
Frantzo -- Belecourt, M18
Fredi -- Bois Neuf next to Wilme, T65
Grap -- Boston, galil
Gros Toutou -- Soleil 19 (originally from Delmas 2),M18
Italien -- Bois Neuf, automatic weapon purchased for $35,000
James Genelus -- Soleil 17, M4
Johnny "Ti Paste" -- Butte Boyer, Kalashnikov
Josue -- Soleil 9, 38 revolver
Junior -- Soleil 19, M1
Junior -- Soleil 19, M1
La Bab -- Belecourt, galil
Lemaire -- Soleil 4, 9mm Lorcin
Lionel -- Linteau 1, 12 guage
Makenson -- Boston, Kalashnikov (works on SMCRS, a USAID
project)
Manni -- Soleil 9, 13 guage
Manno -- Soleil 13, 9mm Ruger
Maxo -- Soleil 17, MP5
Moise -- Soleil 17, Kalashnikov
Nasson -- Linteau 1, M14
Oswald -- Soleil 13, Uzi
Papa -- Soleil 19, Uzi
Papo -- Bois Neuf, Carrefour 3, M1
Pierre-Eddy -- Soleil 19, Uzi
Raymond -- Belecourt, M14 (Amaral's brother, prison escapee)
Reginald -- Soleil 19, T65
Robene -- Projet Sainte Catherine, M16
Robenson -- Soleil 6, 38 revolver
Sassa -- Butte Boyer, Uzi
Sauveur -- Wharf, M14
Sony -- Bois Neuf, Uzi
Tchatchou -- Rail, MP5
Ti Bazile -- Soleil 13 (and Carrefour-Ferio),Uzi and M1
Ti Ben -- Projet Sainte Catherine, galil
Ti Blanc -- Boston, 9mm pistol
Ti Bob -- Soleil 19, M1
Ti Braker -- Boston, Fhal
Ti Dodo -- Norway, M14
Ti Evens -- Boston, M4
Ti Fre -- Soleil 13, M1
Ti Gana -- Soleil 19, 38 revolver
Ti Jude -- Boston, 38 revolver
Ti Linto -- Butte Boyer, Uzi
Ti Piye -- Belecourt, 38 revolver (Amaral's brother)
Ti Polis -- Bois Neuf, Kadafi (washes Wilme's car)
Ti Pouchon -- Boston, M18
Ti Rail -- Soleil 9
Ti Roro -- Soleil 6, 38 revolver
Ti Samuel -- Linteau 1, 38 revolver
Tije -- Boston, 9mm pistol
Toto -- Soleil 19, 12 guage
TouMouri -- Bois Neuf, Galil (dead)
Toutou -- Soleil 13, 12 guage
Toutou one -- Soleil 19 (originally from Delmas 2),M18
Wallas -- Projet Drouillard, M18
Wesly -- Soleil 19, Kalashnikov
Willeme -- Soleil 9, 12 guage
Willio -- Boston, T65
Yoyo Pimam -- Rue La Paix, Fhal
Zaro -- Soleil 17, galil

Soldiers killed or wounded by the HNP or MINUSTAH (as of May,
2005)
Catrino -- Wharf, Even's partner, killed
Damacene -- Soleil 4, wounded
Demosthene -- Belecourt, killed
Dread Fanfan -- Bois Neuf, killed
Fedia -- Wilme's driver, wounded
Jeannot -- Carrefour Vincent, Evens partner, wounded
Josue -- Bois Neuf, wounded
Mercidieu -- Soleil 13, killed
Sony -- Bois Neuf, wounded
Steevens -- Projet Drouillard, killed
Ti Elifete -- Linteau, wounded
Ti Francios -- Belecourt, killed
Ti Lepe -- killed
Ti Piti -- Belecourt, killed
Toumouri (Ronald Pierre) -- close associate of Wilme, killed


GRIFFITHS