THE GAMBIA: ARREST OF SENEGALESE CUSTOMS OFFICIALS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000134

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DAKAR PLS PASS ODC, DAO, AND RAO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2017
TAGS: PREL GA SG
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: ARREST OF SENEGALESE CUSTOMS OFFICIALS

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (B AND D)

ARREST OF SENEGALESE OFFICIALS
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1. (C) The local media have reported Gambian authorities'
early February arrest and ongoing trial of five Senegalese
customs officials, allegedly picked up in Gambian territorial
waters. In recent conversation with Ambassador, the prominent
Gambian attorney representing the Senegalese defendants,
Antoumane Gaye, stated that the five officials, on board a
small craft in pursuit of a fleeing smugglers' boat, had been
confronted and escorted under arrest to Banjul's port by a
Gambian Navy patrol boat.

A FLIMSY CASE
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2. (C) Gaye asserted that the GOTG's case was flimsy,
maintaining that both international law and relevant
bilateral agreements permitted the two country's officials to
enter one another's territorial waters in "hot pursuit" of
suspected criminals. He also scoffed at the GOTG's charging
the Senegalese officials with illegally bringing firearms
into the country, observing that as a matter of course such
officials would be armed in pursuing suspected smugglers.
Gaye said it likely that the GOTG had decided to go ahead
with the officials' prosecution despite the flimsy grounds
out of overblown national security concerns, but perhaps also
as a sign of defiance toward "big brother" Senegal. He added
that he was in direct contact with Senegalese officials in
Dakar as well as the Senegalese Ambassador here over the case
and spoke of growing frustration in Dakar over the GOTG's
insistence on prosecuting the officials.

COMMENT
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3. (C) The GOTG's provocative action against the Senegalese
officials, as described by Gaye, points up current strains in
the Gambian/Senegalese relationship. The case also points up
the extent of the GOTG's suspicions about potential
Senegalese threats to Gambian national security. It remains
to be seen how far the GOTG will go in pursuing its case --
and what form Dakar's reaction may take. END COMMENT.
STAFFORD