EGYPT ALLEGEDLY DEPORTS JEM IN RESPONSE TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000977 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, AF/SPG E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV EG SU SUBJECT: EGYPT ALLEGEDLY DEPORTS JEM IN RESPONSE TO KHARTOUM ATTACK REF: KHARTOUM 724 Classified by Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Egypt has deported several Darfur rebels from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudanese Liberation Army Abdulwahid Nour faction (SLA/Nour) after the unsuccessful JEM raid on Khartoum (reftel),according to contacts in Darfur rebel groups in Cairo. Osama Mohamed El Hassan, Secretary General of the mostly-Arab Darfur group the Democratic Popular Front (DPF),told us May 13 that Egypt deported JEM's Cairo Bureau Chief Mohamed Sharaf and Political Advisor Mohamed Toqod, and that Egyptian security was also actively watching - but not deporting - Sudanese in Cairo from the Zaghawa tribe (from which the JEM leadership hails). We have been unable to reach any JEM contacts by telephone. ¶2. (SBU) Hafez Hamouda, Strategic Advisor to Abdulwahid Nour and temporarily in Cairo, was also deported early on May 13, according to his wife Maha. She told us that Hamouda was put "on the first flight to Africa," which turned out to be a flight to Kenya, and alleged that Egypt deported him in opposition to the recently opened SLM/Nour office in ISRAEL on top of sensitivities due to the recent JEM attack. ¶3. (C) Separately, the MFA released a statement condemning the JEM attack on Khartoum. However, Ahmed Abu Zeid, MFA Cabinet Advisor for African Affairs, denied on May 13 that the GOE had deported any JEM or other Darfur rebels, but said that some "might have left on their own accord." Abu Zeid also denied that Egypt was sending any military assistance to Khartoum, and that an Egyptian C-130 that had reportedly landed in Khartoum was a previously scheduled humanitarian mission on its way to Juba. ¶4. (C) Abu Zeid confirmed that Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit met with Sudanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Karti on May 11 in Cairo, but had no comment on whether the GOE was also in contact with any Darfur groups in Cairo. Karti held a press conference at the Sudanese embassy in Cairo, during which he lashed out at Chad, JEM, the U.S. for its plan to "divide Sudan into five regions," and "Jewish organizations" for supporting Darfur rebels, according to Egyptian press. Karti also reportedly denied that Khartoum was receiving Egyptian military support, only political support. SCOBEY