GABON REQUESTS REMOVAL OF ABDI ALI NUR MOHAMED

C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000326 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL SO GB SUBJECT: GABON REQUESTS REMOVAL OF ABDI ALI NUR MOHAMED Classified By: Ambassador Barrie Walkley for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (U) This cable contains an action request in para 6. ¶2. (C) Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Ping contacted Ambassador Walkley July 26 regarding the case of Abdi Ali Nur Mohamed, a Somali national deported from the US in 2004 who ended up in GABON "at the US request" (according to Ping). ¶3. (U) If the Ambassador's memory is correct, Mohamed -- also known as "Judge Nur" -- was determined to have committed crimes against humanity and was ordered deported from the US in June 2003. The problem was to find some place other than Somalia to send him (an injunction at the time prevented his being removed to Somalia). ¶4. (C) Ping says that the US approached him in New York in 2004 (while Ping was UNGA President) and asked if GABON would be willing to help the US by accepting Mohamed for three months until some other destination could be found for him (perhaps Somalia). Ping says that President Bongo wished to be helpful and agreed to accept Mohamed discreetly for three months. On July 19, 2004, Mohamed was deported "to an African country other than Somalia" (in other words, to Gabon). 5.(C) Ping notes that GABON has now had Mohamed for 3 years, rather than three months. GABON wishes to get rid of Mohamed and Ping requests that the US remove him to another country. ¶6. (C) ACTION REQUEST: There is no paper trail at post regarding the Mohamed affair and no one currently at post was in GABON for discussions leading to Mohamed's arrival. As a result, we have no way of knowing if Ping's explanation is totally accurate (although we have no reason to doubt him). We request guidance from the Department so that we may respond to Ping's request and also request information regarding any action the US might be prepared to take to remove Mohamed. WALKLEY