GUINEA CLAIMS SL "MERCENARIES" SEEK TO OVERTHROW

S E C R E T FREETOWN 000383 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W (JHUNTER) E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PINS GV SL SUBJECT: GUINEA CLAIMS SL "MERCENARIES" SEEK TO OVERTHROW THEIR GOVERNMENT Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Amy LeMar for reasons 1.4 (b/ d) ¶1. (S/NF) Poloff received information from a highly-placed security contact that the Guinean junta suspects an army of Sierra Leonean "mercenaries" will attempt to overthrow their regime. A letter sent from the junta to the Sierra Leonean Office of National Security (ONS) during the week of September 14 stated that they had information that approximately 4,000 mercenaries are currently being trained in the Kono District. The letter did not provide information about who the junta believes recruited, financed, or is providing the training to the Sierra Leoneans. ¶2. (S/NF) In response, the ONS conducted an investigation in the district, and determined that no such training is planned or has taken place. The junta will receive a response letter and video tapes of interviews conducted in Kono in due course. The ONS will also offer to host a Guinean delegation to discuss the allegations and investigation. ¶3. (S/NF) Comment: Security contacts in Freetown are cynical, and believe that the junta will not survive the calendar year. They found the idea of a mercenary force being developed in Kono laughable, and believe that the Guineans made these allegations to lay the groundwork for future cross-border infringements on their part: the Sierra Leoneans were reportedly very vocal with their neighbors about their concern regarding an alleged invasion of their airspace by two Guinean helicopters earlier this month. The current GoSL position is to engage with the junta to preserve stability in the border regions, but made it known to Guinea that it does not intend to allow the Guineans to abuse that engagement by fomenting falsehoods or violating Sierra Leonean sovereignty for its own political ends. End Comment. FEDZER