(S) SOMALIA: RFI ON JOINT SECURITY FORCES AND

S E C R E T STATE 041066 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2034 TAGS: PINR PINS SO SUBJECT: (S) SOMALIA: RFI ON JOINT SECURITY FORCES AND AL-SHABAAB (C-AL9-00798) Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) POLICYMAKERS ARE INTERESTED IN THE STRUCTURAL AND FINANCIAL IMPEDIMENTS TO PEACE AND STABILITY UNDER THE NEW TRANSITIONAL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. CONSEQUENTLY, WASHINGTON ANALYSTS WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION, AS TIME AND RESOURCES ALLOW, REGARDING THE SOURCE OF FUNDING AND METHODS USED TO PAY MEMBERS OF THE JOINT SECURITY FORCES, THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THESE PAYMENTS, CHARACTERISTICS OF AL-SHABAAB-RELATED ENTITIES SUCH AS THE CLAN MAKEUP OF MILITIAS, AND AL-SHABAAB'S RECRUITING EFFORTS AND ITS COMMUNICATION CHANNELS. ¶A. (U) JOINT SECURITY FORCES 1) (S) WHAT FINANCIAL MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE TO FACILITATE PAYMENT OF THE JOINT SECURITY FORCES, WHAT IS THE SYSTEM'S STRUCTURE AND SOURCE OF FINANCING, AND WHAT PERSON OR ENTITY CONTROLS THE MONEY? 2) (S) ARE THE JOINT SECURITY FORCES PAID ON A CONSISTENT OR AD HOC BASIS? ARE SOME UNITS PAID WHILE OTHERS ARE NOT? 3) (S) WHAT MECHANISMS DID PREVIOUS REGIMES USE TO PAY THE JOINT SECURITY FORCES? 4) (S) DO THE JOINT SECURITY FORCES HAVE A HISTORY OF NOT FIGHTING WHEN NOT RECEIVING PAY? ¶B. (U) AL-SHABAAB 1) (S) WHICH LOCAL CLAN MILITIAS FIGHT WITH AL-SHABAAB OR UNDER THE AL-SHABAAB BANNER, WHERE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SOMALIA ARE THEY LOCATED, AND WHAT ARE THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY, ARMED ACTIONS, AND FIGHTER CAPABILITY? ARE THERE POPULAR DENUNCIATIONS OF ARMED ACTIONS? 2) (S) DO CLAN MILITIAS WORKING WITH AL-SHABAAB PROVIDE CRITICAL SERVICES SUCH AS HEALTHCARE OR EDUCATION TO THE LOCAL POPULACE? 3) (S) WHAT IS THE MORALE OF THE CLAN MILITIAS WORKING WITH AL-SHABAAB ? 4) (S) HOW DOES AL-SHABAAB RECRUIT AND PAY LOCAL CLAN MILITIA, AND WHAT INDICATIONS EXIST OF A SYSTEMATIC MEANS FOR RECRUITING AND INDOCTRINATING SUPPORTERS? 5) (S) WHAT INDICATIONS EXIST OF DEFECTIONS OR INFIGHTING WITHIN SHABAAB LEADERSHIP? 6) (S) IS THERE A MILITANT BUREAUCRACY COMPRISED OF ELEMENTS TASKED WITH FUNCTIONS SUCH AS LOGISTICS, INTELLIGENCE, OR RECRUITING? DOES AL-SHABAAB HAVE A MEDIA OR EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS ELEMENT? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-AL9-00798 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON