Somalia: Alleged Assassination Threat

S E C R E T NAIROBI 003664

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E AND AF A/S FRAZER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER ASEC MOPS SO ET
SUBJECT: Somalia: Alleged Assassination Threat


Classified by Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger for Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)


1. (S/NF) Summary: Somalia Transitional Federal Government President
Abdullahi Yusuf allegedly told Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles in
Addis that he intends to remove Somalia TFG Prime Minister Gedi on
October 14 or 15. Meles warned Yusuf against doing so, and told
Yusuf to maintain the current TFG leadership to 2009. Ethiopian
General Gabre told the Somalia Ambassador to KENYA and Gedi that
Yusuf, now allegedly out of options, may try to have Gedi
assassinated. See paras 5 and 6 for actions being undertaken. End
Summary.


2. (S/NF) Somalia Ambassador to KENYA Mohamed Ali Nur ("Americo")
told the Ambassador and Special Envoy Yates September 14 that Somalia
Transitional Federal (TFG) President Yusuf told Ethiopia Prime
Minister Meles that he intends to remove Prime Minister Ali Gedi on
October 14 or 15. The Ethiopians allegedly warned Yusuf not to
remove Gedi and to maintain the same government through the
transition process to 2009. Removing Gedi now, the Ethiopians
allegedly said, would destabilize Somalia and completely derail the
transition process.


3. (S/NF) Americo said Yusuf now has fewer options to remove Gedi
legitimately, and there is talk in Mogadishu that Yusuf may move to
eliminate Gedi. Americo claimed that General Gabre, the defacto
Ethiopian "proconsul" in Mogadishu, called him on September 14 to
warn that Yusuf may move to assassinate Gedi. Gabre reportedly
claimed that Ethiopian intelligence had picked up the assassination
threat, which he also passed directly to Gedi. Consequently, Gedi
instructed Americo to inform the Ambassador and Special Envoy. Gedi
is currently in Mogadishu and the President will return from Addis
Ababa September 14 to Mogadishu.


4. (S/NF) Yusuf, Gedi, the Chairman of the National Governance and
Reconciliation Committee Ali Mahdi, Speaker of Parliament Madobe, and
240 delegates from the National Reconciliation Congress (NRC) are all
scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia on September 16 for a ceremonial
closing event related to the NRC. Americo said he doubts the trip
can occur prior to September 17 because the list of who shall attend
has not been finalized. The alleged threat of assassination and
that Yusuf has not yet returned to Mogadishu, are also likely to
postpone or derail the trip to Saudi Arabia. Americo asserted that
the escalating tensions between the Prime Minister and President may
lead to direct conflict between the Darood and Hawiye clans.


5. (S/NF) The Ambassador and Special Envoy thanked Americo for
relaying quickly the information above. He stated clearly our
interest in having the momentum from the NRC continue with
implementation and progress on the transitional tasks. Violence in
any form is unacceptable and must be avoided. They emphasized that
use of violence by either Yusuf or Gedi would jeopardize their
relationship with the U.S. The Ambassador and Special Envoy urged
Americo to counsel the Prime Minister not to overreact to Gabre's
alleged assassination threat information. The Ambassador and Special
Envoy said that we will ensure our public and private messages make
clear to all that political violence is unacceptable. The Ambassador
and Special Envoy also asserted they would weigh in with Yusuf to
make clear the U.S. position both that violence is not acceptable and
that the U.S. will not become embroiled in internal issues regarding
ministerial changes.


6. (S/NF) We believe it would be useful if Embassy Addis Ababa could
approach the Ethiopian government to ascertain the nature of their
recent discussions with Yusuf. We would also appreciate any
information available from the GOE on Gabre's alleged assassination
threat information. We will continue to pass messages to the
President and Prime Minister that an outbreak of intra-governmental
political violence would seriously limit our ability to engage with
the TFG.
RANNEBERGER