SHARIF HARIR CLAIMS U.S. WEAPONS CONFISCATED IN DARFUR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000492 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2017 TAGS: PREL PINR SU ER SUBJECT: SHARIF HARIR CLAIMS U.S. WEAPONS CONFISCATED IN DARFUR CLASSIFIED BY: CDA Jennifer A. McIntyre, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SLM leader Sharif Harir met with Poloff on May 29 to report the confiscation of over 100 small arms from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Darfur in the past few weeks. These weapons, predominantly handguns all bear markings identifying them as U.S. Property. To support his claim, Sharif provided Poloff with the details of the engravings of one confiscated handgun: on the right hand side is engraved "U.S. property M 1911 A1 US Army No. 1286228 ANAD 575"; on the left hand side, "Ithaca Gun Co. Inc Ithaca, NY". Sharif expressed concern that U.S. policy had changed and that the U.S. was now supplying weapons to the Sudan Armed Forces. Poloff responded by informing Sharif that this was not the case and we do not provide material support to the SAF. ¶2. (C) Comment: According to Post's DATT, the appearance of this pistol, a composite of two different Colt 1911A pistols is no great surprise. Since World War II, the USG has sold as surplus thousands of these pistols. Pistols such as these have been sold and resold in many parts of the African continent. End Comment. MCINTYRE