SOURCE INFO ON ALLEGED SUICIDE BOMBERS IN ERITREA

S E C R E T ASMARA 000776 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS TERREP DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/ITA, DS/OFM, DS/ICI/PII, DS/ICI/CI, AF/E, INR LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2032 TAGS: ASEC PTER PREL PGOV PINR ER SUBJECT: SOURCE INFO ON ALLEGED SUICIDE BOMBERS IN ERITREA Classified By: RSO SEAN MCCLANAHAN, FOR REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: RSO met with Source on 10/1/2007 who provided third-hand information on alleged Somali suicide bombers present in Asmara. Source stated a group of young Somalis who have been trained as suicide bombers, are currently resident in Asmara. These Somalis allegedly plan to infiltrate Ethiopia with the support of the Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) after the end of Ramadan. Source stated the GSE feels Ethiopia will invade Eritrea in a matter of weeks and the suicide bombers would be used to erode Ethiopian support for their government. The GSE feels this would prevent/delay any Ethiopian invasion of Eritrea and could result in the Ethiopian Government withdrawing its forces from Somalia. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (S/NF) RSO met with Source on 10/1/2007 who has a friendly relationship with Tiagese Kiflezge, a junior desk officer in the MFA's Americas division. The following information was reported by Source from a 9/30/2007 conversation with Kiflezge. Kiflezge claims he has good contacts within the GSE ministries and is aware of sensitive GSE information because he is a trusted worker. Post has been able to verify some of Source's statements in the past but cannot corroborate this report. ¶3. (S/NF) During a 9/30/2007 conversation, Source said Kiflezge told him that there are approximately 25-50 Somalis currently in Asmara who have been trained by the Iranian Government to be suicide bombers. These Somalis had allegedly arrived in Asmara at the same time as Somali delegates to the "Reconciliation Congress" in September 2007. Kiflezge told Source that after Ramadan ends in October 2007, these individuals will be smuggled into Ethiopia with the assistance of the GSE and Ethiopian nationals from inside Ethiopia (NFI). Once inside Ethiopia, the Somalis will conduct suicide bomb attacks against Ethiopian hotels, bus stations and government sites. Kiflezge added that the Somalis were going to target the Ethiopian government as a result of their military intervention in Somali and because "Addis is the enemy of Muslims." (Note: Source said Kiflezge made no mention of any threat to U.S. interests. End Note.) Kiflezge also commented that the "suicide vests" which will be used in the bombings were already in Asmara, but he did not know their location. Source stated Kiflezge made no mention of the exact date or route by which the Somalis would enter Ethiopia nor provided any other information about these suicide bombers. ¶4. (S/NF) RSO asked Source if he knew where the Somalis were living. Source was unsure, but said many visiting Somalis are living at four hotels in Asmara: The Imperial Hotel (also known as the Ambasoira Hotel); the Hamasien (located next door to the Imperial); the Savana Hotel and the Salaam Hotel. RSO has taken GPS coordinates of these hotels as follows: Imperial/Hamasien Hotels - N 15 degrees 19 968, E 38 degrees 56 108; the Savana Hotel - N 15 degrees 19 783 E 38 degrees 55 782; and the Salaam Hotel - N 19 degrees 20 197 E 38 degrees 55 665. The Salaam Hotel is located next door to the UK Embassy. ¶5. (S/NF) Kiflezge told Source that many of his colleagues in the MFA and other agencies are afraid an Ethiopian invasion of Eritrea is imminent and will happen in 2-3 weeks. He stated that the GSE believes that incidents of suicide bombing in Ethiopia would disrupt the government and possibly prevent such an attack and/or serve as a catalyst to force the Ethiopians from Somalia. Source told RSO he was afraid to ask any additional questions for fear of arousing Kiflezge's suspicions. During his interview with RSO, Source appear shocked and troubled by this conversation as he stated this proved Eritrea really was a "terrorist nation." ¶6. (S/NF) RSO Comment: Post has not heard even a hint of rumor from other sources in-country of the possibility of Somali suicide bombers being provided safehaven in Asmara. We continue to have reservations about Kiflezge's access to such type information, if true, and his apparent freedom in sharing such sensitive information. Conversely, we do not see a clear motivation for Kiflezge relaying this information to Source if he did not believe it to be true. Post notes there are still many Somalis in Asmara following the conclusion of the Congress and POLOFF sources have stated that at least 5 Shabaab members were present in Asmara during the conference. Given consistent feedback from numerous western and local sources that the GSE believes Ethiopia may invade Eritrea in the coming weeks, we also cannot discount the possibility of a GSE decision to use any means possible to weaken the Meles government in anticipation of a military conflict. End Comment. MCINTYRE