Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASMARA764
2007-09-27 14:40:00
SECRET
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:
SOMALI SHEIKH HASSAN DAHIR AWEYS MEETS WITH DUTCH
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S E C R E T ASMARA 000764
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER UNSC ER SO
SUBJECT: SOMALI SHEIKH HASSAN DAHIR AWEYS MEETS WITH DUTCH
Classified By: CDA Jennifer A. McIntyre, for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
S E C R E T ASMARA 000764
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER UNSC ER SO
SUBJECT: SOMALI SHEIKH HASSAN DAHIR AWEYS MEETS WITH DUTCH
Classified By: CDA Jennifer A. McIntyre, for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (S) On September 26, Netherlands Embassy First Secretary,
Robert Lanschot met with CDA and Poloff to share the details
of his conversation the week previous with Somali Sheikh
Hassan Dahir Aweys. Lanschot approached Aweys on September
14 at the closing ceremony of the Somali congress held in
Asmara. Lanschot had not received (nor had he sought)
permission from The Hague to speak with Aweys.
2. (S) In the conversation, Aweys spoke proudly of his
military experience and claimed he was an old man who no
longer had a desire for power. He told Lanschot he had come
to Asmara from Somalia to participate in the Congress;
however, he had no intention for Eritrea to become his
official residence. (Note: Lanschot added that in a separate
conversation with MP Hussein Aideed, Aideed said that the
Eritreans and other Somalis had advised Aweys not to
"overstay his welcome and embarrass his hosts, the
Eritreans." Lanschot said Aideed had indicated that the both
groups were gun-shy about Aweys staying on too long, given
his listing on the UN and U.S. terrorist lists. End Note.)
Aweys also told Lanschot, that since this last winter, he has
traveled to Libya, Egypt, Djibouti, United Arab Emirates and
Sudan. Presently, he stays in a rented private home in
Asmara with nearly 30 members of his extended family who
accompanied him to Eritrea.
3. (S) Aweys told Lanschot he "had done nothing wrong" and
that he "was not a terrorist." "If," he offered, "my deep
love for Islam makes me a terrorist in the eyes of others
...," then so be it. He further attested that the U.S.
Government has "nothing on him" and that all of the
"evidence" comes from Ethiopian President Meles Zenawi. He
called himself a nationalist and claimed that he was trying
only to achieve safety for the Somali people with the
establishment of the Council of Islamic Courts, an objective
the international community should appreciate. Aweys further
explained that the rules imposed by the CIC had been
established to restore order and were based on customary
Somali law.
4. (S) Comment: Lanschot's meeting was the only known
meeting by Western diplomats in Asmara with Aweys. Lanschot
said The Hague had offered no response to his report on the
meeting, neither scolding nor commending him. In Asmara,
news of Lanschot's meeting and his attendance at the closing
ceremony was the cause of much anger among his fellow
European Union members. One EU Ambassador was particularly
angry as he felt the meeting gave Aweys legitimacy and
completely disregarded the consensus reached by the EU Heads
of Mission in Asmara about interaction with the Somali
representatives. In addition another EU Ambassador shared
with CDA that the press in Eritrea, including the Eritrean
state owned media and the foreign correspondents present
during the congress, had been explicitly instructed by the
Government of the State of Eritrea(GSE) not to report on
Aweys' stay in Eritrea. Reportedly, two of the foreign
correspondents who had not received the initial instructions
were taken to task by the GSE for their reports on Aweys. End
Comment.
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
MCINTYRE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER UNSC ER SO
SUBJECT: SOMALI SHEIKH HASSAN DAHIR AWEYS MEETS WITH DUTCH
Classified By: CDA Jennifer A. McIntyre, for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (S) On September 26, Netherlands Embassy First Secretary,
Robert Lanschot met with CDA and Poloff to share the details
of his conversation the week previous with Somali Sheikh
Hassan Dahir Aweys. Lanschot approached Aweys on September
14 at the closing ceremony of the Somali congress held in
Asmara. Lanschot had not received (nor had he sought)
permission from The Hague to speak with Aweys.
2. (S) In the conversation, Aweys spoke proudly of his
military experience and claimed he was an old man who no
longer had a desire for power. He told Lanschot he had come
to Asmara from Somalia to participate in the Congress;
however, he had no intention for Eritrea to become his
official residence. (Note: Lanschot added that in a separate
conversation with MP Hussein Aideed, Aideed said that the
Eritreans and other Somalis had advised Aweys not to
"overstay his welcome and embarrass his hosts, the
Eritreans." Lanschot said Aideed had indicated that the both
groups were gun-shy about Aweys staying on too long, given
his listing on the UN and U.S. terrorist lists. End Note.)
Aweys also told Lanschot, that since this last winter, he has
traveled to Libya, Egypt, Djibouti, United Arab Emirates and
Sudan. Presently, he stays in a rented private home in
Asmara with nearly 30 members of his extended family who
accompanied him to Eritrea.
3. (S) Aweys told Lanschot he "had done nothing wrong" and
that he "was not a terrorist." "If," he offered, "my deep
love for Islam makes me a terrorist in the eyes of others
...," then so be it. He further attested that the U.S.
Government has "nothing on him" and that all of the
"evidence" comes from Ethiopian President Meles Zenawi. He
called himself a nationalist and claimed that he was trying
only to achieve safety for the Somali people with the
establishment of the Council of Islamic Courts, an objective
the international community should appreciate. Aweys further
explained that the rules imposed by the CIC had been
established to restore order and were based on customary
Somali law.
4. (S) Comment: Lanschot's meeting was the only known
meeting by Western diplomats in Asmara with Aweys. Lanschot
said The Hague had offered no response to his report on the
meeting, neither scolding nor commending him. In Asmara,
news of Lanschot's meeting and his attendance at the closing
ceremony was the cause of much anger among his fellow
European Union members. One EU Ambassador was particularly
angry as he felt the meeting gave Aweys legitimacy and
completely disregarded the consensus reached by the EU Heads
of Mission in Asmara about interaction with the Somali
representatives. In addition another EU Ambassador shared
with CDA that the press in Eritrea, including the Eritrean
state owned media and the foreign correspondents present
during the congress, had been explicitly instructed by the
Government of the State of Eritrea(GSE) not to report on
Aweys' stay in Eritrea. Reportedly, two of the foreign
correspondents who had not received the initial instructions
were taken to task by the GSE for their reports on Aweys. End
Comment.
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
MCINTYRE