(C) SOMALI DIPLOMAT REPORTS ON ISLAMIST HASSAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006937

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EG SO
SUBJECT: (C) SOMALI DIPLOMAT REPORTS ON ISLAMIST HASSAN
AWEYS' CAIRO VISIT


Classified by Acting DCM William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Somali diplomat Ismail A. Hussein told
poloffs on November 16 that Egyptian General Intelligence
Service (EGIS) officials informed the Somali Embassy in Cairo
about the visit of Somali Council of Islamic Courts (CIC)
leader Hassan Dahir Aweys on the day of his arrival in Egypt.
While Arab League contacts acknowledged the Aweys visit, our
normal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) contacts have
avoided any discussion of the issue, likely given Aweys'
UNSCR 1267 terror-related listing. Hussein said that he
spoke to one of Aweys' delegation during the visit, who said
the Islamist leader met with senior EGIS officials, Foreign
Minister Aboul Gheit, and the Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar.
Hussein did not have a readout of the discussions, but
accused Egypt of assisting the CIC via Eritrean channels.
According to the British Embassy in Cairo, the British did
not send a letter to the GoE protesting the Aweys visit, but
rather are mulling over referring the case to the UN Somalia
Sanctions Committee. End Summary.

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Aweys in Cairo
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2. (C) Despite complete silence on the issue from our regular
MFA contacts, Somali Embassy Consul Ismail Hussein told
poloffs on November 16 that Somali Islamist leader Hassan
Dahir Aweys visited Egypt in early November along with a
group of CIC members for talks with senior Egyptian
officials. Zeid El Sabban, Advisor for African Affairs in
the Cabinet of the Secretary General of the Arab League, also
acknowledged Aweys' visit to poloff, hinting that he had also
met with the delegation. Hussein said that EGIS called to
inform the Somali Ambassador about the visit on the day that
Aweys arrived. The EGIS contacts reportedly said Egypt was
hosting Aweys in order to press the CIC to peacefully resolve
the ongoing conflict in Somalia. The GoE did not provide the
Somali Embassy with a readout of the Cairo talks, but Hussein
said he spoke with one of Aweys' delegation while in Cairo,
who told him that Aweys met with senior EGIS officials,
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Grand Sheikh of
al-Azhar Tantawi, and others.

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UNSC Report on Somalia
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3. (C) Asked about a UNSC report on Somalia which alleges GoE
material support to the CIC, Hussein accused Egypt of
providing the CIC with military training and other material
support. Egypt, he said, is funneling support for the CIC
via Eritrea. Hussein also accused the Arab League of doing
Egypt's bidding with respect to its efforts at mediation
between the CIC and the TFG. Asked for substantiation of his
allegations, Hussein cited TFG intelligence reports from
Mogadishu, and asserted that "we are all Somalis; this type
of activity cannot be hidden."

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UK Mulling Referral To UN
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4. (C) According to the British Embassy in Cairo, the British
did not send a letter to the GoE to protest the Aweys visit
but rather are considering bringing the issue to the UN
Somalia Sanctions Committee. Egyptian MFA contacts confirmed
that the British did not send them a letter. British Embassy
poloff Martin Hetherington told poloff on November 21 that
London is considering how to proceed but has not to date
instructed its Cairo mission to demarche the GoE.
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