CHAD: FOREIGN MINISTRY RESPONDS ON GUANTANAMO CASE

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000876 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, FOR AF/C AND S/WCI HARMS AND MUBANGU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PINR PREL PTER CD SUBJECT: CHAD: FOREIGN MINISTRY RESPONDS ON GUANTANAMO CASE REF: A. SECSTATE 70395 ¶B. NDJAMENA 445 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: President Deby has directed his Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take steps to seek the liberation of Chadian Guantanamo detainee Mohamed Algharani (aka Yousef Abkir Salih Al Qarani). Department guidance requested (see para 5). End summary. ¶2. (SBU) On November 5, Post received a response to our diplomatic note on the Administrative Review Board (ARB) III examination of the case of an alleged Chadian national currently under DOD control at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The diplomatic note confirms that Mohamed Algharani (given as Yousef Abkir Salih Al Qarani in reftel A) is a Chadian citizen. The note requests the Embassy to intercede with the competent authorities in the United States to obtain his liberation. Note: President Deby's decision to seek Algharani's release appears to have been prompted by the visit of members of the UK-based "Reprieve" organization who met with high ranking Chadian officials on the case. End note. ¶3. (SBU) Embassy translation of diplomatic note follows: Begin text: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Chad presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in N'Djamena and has the honor to acknowledge receipt of its note number 148, dated May 24, 2007 concerning the detention of Chadian citizen Mr. Mohamed Algharani in the prison camp of Guantanamo. The Ministry confirms the Chadian nationality of Mr. Mohamed Algharani and accordingly requests the Embassy of the United States to please intercede with the competent authorities in the United States to obtain his release as soon as possible. Certain relevant documents are attached. In thanking the Embassy of the United States for its kind attention, the Minister of Foreign Affairs takes this opportunity to renew the assurances of his highest consideration. End text. ¶4. (SBU) The attached documents include: -- a copy of the fact sheet (in French and Arabic) produced by the British NGO "Reprieve" on "Mohammed El Gharani, juvenile prisoner and Chadian citizen in Guantanamo;" -- An internal report prepared for President Deby on the meeting between Zakary Katz Nelson, Legislative Director of Reprieve (identified in the report as an American lawyer) and the Deputy Director of the President's Civil Cabinet, Mahamat Saleh Adoum. In the report to the President, Adoum confirms that Algharani is a Chadian citizen whose parents reside in Medina. Adoum notes that "our country cannot avoid its obligations towards citizens under arbitrary detention abroad...the continued detention of a compatriot for motives decidedly lacking in glory is assuredly a major handicap in our continued efforts to improve our country's image in the world." He suggests that "the President..order the government to undertake the necessary demarches to obtain his repatriation." -- The handwritten response of President Deby on the note states: "Undertake demarches to obtain his liberation." ACTION REQUEST ¶5. Department guidance requested on next steps. TAMLYN