PRESS REPORTS AMERICAN ARRESTED IN SIERRA LEONE

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000973 SIPDIS SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY (ADDING SUBJ DIST TAG) E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2016 TAGS: PREL KJUS SL SUBJECT: PRESS REPORTS AMERICAN ARRESTED IN SIERRA LEONE FOR PHOTOGRAPHING SL SPECIAL COURT Classified By: AMBASSADOR WOLFF FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D ¶1. (SBU) UN LEGAL OFFICE INFORMED USUN MAY 11 THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED REPORTS FROM THE SIERRA LEONE SPECIAL COURT REGISTRAR, LOVEMORE MANLO,THAT AMERICAN CITIZEN MICHAEL CHEMIDLINE HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH "CONSPIRACY TO ENGAGE IN A PURPOSE PREJUDICIAL TO THE STATE OF SIERRA LEONE" UNDER THE TREASON AND STATE OFFENCES ACT OF 1963. THE SPECIAL COURT QUOTES CLARENCE ROY MACAULAY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AS A SOURCE. ¶2. (U) ACCORDING TO MACAULAY, THE PARTICULARS STATE THAT BETWEEN 18 AND 29 APRIL, 2006 THE ACCUSED CONSPIRED TO INSPECT THE ENTIRE SPECIAL COURT COMPLEX AND INSPECTED THE COMPLEX BY WAY OF TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS. THAT ON 29TH APRIL HE PHOTOGRAPHED A PROHIBITED AREA PREJUDICIAL TO THE INTERESTS AND SAFETY OF THE STATE OF SIERRA LEONE. ¶3. (C) EARLIER IN THE DAY, UN LEGAL PROVIDED A COPY OF AN INTERNAL MEMO WHICH REPORTED THAT A SGT/MR. A.M. CHEMIDLINE, A US SERVICEMAN WHO WORKED AS A CHEF IN IRAQ, WAS DETAINED ON APRIL 29 BY THE MONGOLIAN GUARD FORCE. CHEMIDLINE, ACCOMPANIED BY TWO SIERRA LEONE NATIONALS, DEMOSCO KAMALA AND FELIX ROGERS, HAD BEEN "ACTING SUSPICIOUSLY." THE REPORT INDICATED THAT THE US DA WAS NOT SURE WHETHER CHEMIDLINE IS STILL SERVING WITH "205 SIGNAL BR" OR WHETHER HE HAS BEEN DISCHARGED. HE REPORTEDLY SERVED IN IRAQ UNTIL APRIL 1 AND MET SIERRA LEONEAN CONTRACTORS THERE. CHEMIDLINE HAD IN HIS POSSESSION A CAMERA WHICH CONTAINED "PHOTOS 360 DEGREES" OF THE SIERRA LEONE SPECIAL COURT (SLSC),INCLUDING MAIN SENTRY POSITIONS, MAIN ENTRANCE POINT AND PANORAMIC OVERVIEW OF THE SLSC TAKEN FROM SURROUNDING HILLSIDES. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, HIS PASSPORT HAD VISAS FOR GHANA, SIERRA LEONE AND LIBERIA WHICH WERE ALL ISSUED IN THE US AROUND MARCH, WHEN HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RECEIVING TREATMENT FOR A HERNIA AT FORT DRUM. ¶4. CHEMIDLINE CLAIMED THAT HE IS IN SIERRA LEONE TO START A CHURCH CALLED, "CHURCH IN FREETOWN", (CHURCHINFREETOWN@YAHOO.COM) WHICH HAS 10 MEMBERS, ALL MALES AGED 18-25. THE REPORT INDICATES THAT HE PROBABLY ENTERED SIERRA LEONE VIA GHANA BUT HAD NOT YET TRAVELED TO LIBERIA. BOLTON