COTE D'IVOIRE: MILITARY REPORTS ALLEGED COUP PLOT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABIDJAN 001372

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KINSHASA PASS TO BRAZZAVILLE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2016
TAGS: MARR PGOV ASEC PREL IV
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: MILITARY REPORTS ALLEGED COUP PLOT


Classified By: POL/ECON Jim Wojtasiewicz, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) Summary. On December 12 the press spokesman of the
defense and security forces announced that a coup plot had
been uncovered, involving the assassination of President
Gbagbo, the armed forces chief of staff, and several other
top security force commanders. The man accused of being the
mastermind is an associate of both former Prime Minister
Ouattara, who is a leading candidate to oppose Gbagbo in the
presidential elections, and Prime Minister Banny. There have
been two coup attempts here in recent years, and thr spectr
of coups haunts this country. However, it was more likely a
staged event under the direction of the Presidency, aimed at
discrediting Ouattara, intimidating Banny, and perhaps laying
the groundwork for postponing elections -- a sign that Gbagbo
is worried about the prospect of facing elections that he
does not fully control. End Summary.


2. (U) On December 12, Colonel Hilaire Babri Gohourou,
spokesman for the Ivoirian Security and Defense Forces, read
a statement on television announcing that security forces had
uncovered plans for a coup attempt by civilians and members
of the military. He said the coup was to have taken place
some time between December 12 and 16, and was to have
included the assassination of President Gbagbo, armed forces
chief of staff general Mangou, the commander of the national
gendarmerie, and several other top commanders in the defense
and security forces. Gohourou alleged that "the mastermind
behind the operation is a personality who is an active member
of a local political party."


3. (C) The man Gohourou was referring to is Adama Bictogo,
who is associated with the opposition RDR (Rally of
Republicans) party and its leader Alassane Ouattara. He is
also an advisor to Prime Minister Banny. Furthermore,
Bictogo seeks in the next parliamentary elections to unseat
Mamadou Koulibaly, President of the former National Assembly
and a close Gbagbo ally, in his electoral district of
Koumassi in Abidjan. Koulibaly recently publicly attacked
Bictogo, accusing him of being supported by France. Bictogo
was reportedly involved along with Banny's nephew in having
T-shirts printed with the slogan, "The streets for Banny."
The nephew was arrested and held for ten days.


4. (C) Abou Moussa, the Acting UN Special Representative of
the Secretary General, told the Ambassador that General
Mangou called General Amoussou, the force commander for the
UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (ONUCI),one night last week at
2:00 a.m. to inform Amoussou that security forces were going
to the Golf Hotel to arrest Bictogo. ONUCI provides security
protection at the Golf Hotel for opposition members
participating in the government, and Moussa said Amoussou
refused to allow Mangou's men to arrest Bictogo there. Press
spokesman Gohourou in his TV statement said the alleged
mastermind behind the coup plot is currently "under the
protection of his sponsors" after being "exfiltrated" from
the hotel.


5. (C) Comment. The possibility of a genuine coup attempt
cannot entirely be ruled out. Gbagbo has reason to fear a
coup attempt, after the failed coup attempt against him in
2002 and the successful coup against President Bedie in 2000.
Furthermore, as we have previously reported, there are
growing divisions within the security forces, and increasing
frustration in some quarters over the impunity with which the
pro-Gbagbo militias defy the security forces, and the
preferential treatment they get over them.


6. (C) That said, this incident has all the markings of a
staged event, similar to the other highly suspicious
incidents earlier this year in which unknown elements were
alleged to have attacked the security forces but no serious
investigation was ever done and the incidents appeared to
have actually been staged under the direction of the
Presidency. Indeed, in the last two-plus years, the
President and those working for him have told the Ambassador
of several coup plots that had been uncovered, all of which
turned out to be figments of someone's imagination or pure
inventions by Gbagbo's intelligence services to justify their
existence.


7. (C) We see signs in this incident that the Gbagbo camp is
worried about the prospect of facing elections that they do
not fully control. Arresting Bictogo could well have been
aimed at discrediting Ouattara, a leading presidential
candidate, and intimidating Banny as he tries to prepare for
free and fair elections. Manufacturing this kind of threat
against the state could also be a way to prepare the
groundwork for postponing the elections. It is also

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interesting that the coup plot was announced by the military
rather than the intelligence services, perhaps an attempt to
align the military even more closely with President Gbagbo.
End Comment.

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