UNSC SOMALIA SANCTIONS: INFO REQUEST

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 080765 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2034 TAGS: EFIN ETTC KTFN PREL PTER XW UNSC SUBJECT: UNSC SOMALIA SANCTIONS: INFO REQUEST REF: A. PARIS 681 ¶B. STATE 49092 ¶C. USUN 475 ¶D. USEU BRUSSELS 616 ¶E. USEU BRUSSELS 517 ¶F. USUN 28 Classified By: IO ACTING A/S ANDERSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) & (D) ¶1. (U) This is an action request; please see para 3. -------------- STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The strategic objective is to propose to the UN Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Somalia ("the Somalia Sanctions Committee") viable candidates for listing. The U.S. has begun compiling information on the individuals and entities ("targets") in para 9, but seeks additional information from posts and host governments. The United States considers fairness and transparency to be of utmost importance in imposing targeted sanctions. We are only able to implement such sanctions domestically, and hence will only agree to UN listing, when there are adequate unclassified bio-identifiers (see para 7 below) for the U.S. and other UN Member States to be able to implement the sanctions as well as unclassified information demonstrating the targets meet the criteria for listing (see para 8 below). -------------- ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶3. (U) Action addressees are to ask host governments for as much information as is available for the targets listed in para 9. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The UN Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Somalia ("the Committee") was initially established to oversee implementation of the general and complete arms embargo. On 20 November 2008, the Security Council adopted resolution 1844 authorizing the Committee to list for a worldwide asset freeze, travel ban, and targeted arms embargo those individuals and entities threatening the peace, security, or stability of Somalia; violating the arms embargo; or obstructing delivery, access to, or distribution of humanitarian assistance. The Committee has not yet listed any individuals or entities. ¶5. (S) The U.S. is in the process of compiling information on individuals and entities that could be listed under the criteria of UNSC resolution 1844 (2008). Some of the names under U.S. review are fromthe Committee's Monitoring Group �00A;(MG),which provided the Committee with a list of those it believes meet the listing criteria; however, the MG was not able to supply bio-identifiers on a number of the individuals (reftel B). Other names under U.S. review have been selected independently by the U.S. and do not appear on the MG's list. Given the release of the Monitoring Group's list, the Committee is anxious to take action (reftel A). The U.S. can only agree to UN listings that are supported by adequate information. ¶6. (SBU) Many in the international community have recently expressed concerns regarding the legitimacy and effectiveness of UN sanctions, highlighted by numerous European Union judicial challenges; questions about the fairness, weak coordination, and follow-through on implementation; and lingering misperceptions about the humanitarian impact of sanctions (reftels F, G, and H). Targeted sanctions should be implemented as fairly and transparently as possible, and each listing should be supported by adequate bio-identifiers and information demonstrating that the listing meets the relevant criteria in order to maximize the effectiveness of the regime. -------------- BIO-IDENTIFIERS -------------- ¶7. (U) Posts are asked to request from host governments as much of the following UNCLASSIFIED information as can be provided (date of birth being the most critical). - Full name - Aliases and AKAs - Passport number(s) or National Identification Number and country of issuance - Citizenship - Date of Birth (ideally, a precise date; if not, the year of birth) - Place of birth - Current location - Professional title -------------- LISTING CRITERIA -------------- ¶8. (U) Operative paragraph 8 of UNSC resolution 1844 decided the asset freeze, travel ban, and targeted arms embargo would apply to individuals and entities listed by the Committee: (a) as engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, security or stability of Somalia, including acts that threaten the Djibouti Agreement of 18 August 2008 or the political process, or threaten the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) or the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) by force; (b) as having acted in violation of the general and complete arms embargo; (c) as obstructing the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Somalia, or access to, or distribution of, humanitarian assistance in Somalia. -------------- TARGETS -------------- ¶9. (S/NF) The U.S. is considering submitting the following twelve targets, among others, to the Somalia Sanctions Committee for listing. Posts are to check all available information on the targets, particularly for targets with noted links to post,s host country. Posts are also requested to ask host governments for information on the targets. (Due to the sensitive nature and risk of asset flight, please avoid any indication to host governments that these individuals are being considered for sanctions.) The following ten targets are broken down into three main threat categories: political; arms trafficking; and piracy. The threat categories are further broken down to clarify the target's nationality or role and countries to which the target has been linked. (SBU) POLITICAL THREATS TO STABILITY IN SOMALIA -------------- (SBU) Somalis Threatening Stability/Security -------------- -- (SBU) Mohamed Sa'id "Atom" or "Kindogo": Somali leader of armed group in disputed area between Puntland and Somaliland. Implicated in kidnapping, weapons distribution, and possibly piracy. On UN Monitoring Group's list. (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers (SBU) This target has links to: Somalia, Puntland, Kenya, and Ethiopia -- (SBU) Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan: Wanted by the FBI for questioning in connection with the 2002 attacks in Mombasa, Kenya, against a hotel and an airliner. Nabhan is the commander of a legion of foreign fighters in a war on the TFG in Somalia. (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers, especially current address and passport or identification numbers. (SBU) This target has links to: Kenya and Somalia -- (SBU) Fuad Shongole (a/k/a Fuad Mohamed Qalaf). Swedish Somali who moved to Somalia in 2004 to serve in the Islamic Courts Union. Was a leading member of al-Shabaab. Encouraged Western Muslims of Somali origin to join the jihad. (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers, especially DOB, POB, citizenship, current address and passport or identification numbers. (SBU) This target has links to: Somalia and Sweden -- (SBU) Yasin Ali Baynah: Has mobilized support and raised funds on behalf of Somali insurgent groups. Is a founding member of Hizb al-Islam. Has initiated attacks against the TFG and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM ) peacekeeping operation). On UN Monitoring Group's list. (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers, especially DOB, POB, citizenship, current address and passport or identification numbers. (SBU) This target has links to: Somalia and Sweden -------------- -------------- (SBU) Eritreans Providing Arms/Funding to Destabilizing Groups -------------- -------------- -- (SBU) Colonel Teame Goitom (a/k/a Te'ame Abraha Selassie, a/k/a Meqele/Mekele): Eritrean intelligence figure, allegedly involved in arms embargo violations and financially supporting anti-Ethiopian and anti-TFG groups. On UN Monitoring Group's list. ((S//NF) Operations area may include Sudan.) (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers (SBU) This target has links to: Eritrea and Ethiopia ((S//NF) This target may have traveled into Kenya and UAE) -- (SBU) Ali Abdu Ahmed: Eritrean Minister of Information, chief spokesperson on Somalia policy. Public statements have been used to de-legitimize and encourage attacks on the TFG and AMISOM. On UN Monitoring Group's list. (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers (SBU) This target has links to: Eritrea and Ethiopia -- (SBU) Major General Hummed (/Humed) Ahmed (/Ahmad) Karikari (/Karikare): Commander of Eritrean Navy. Suspended in 2006 and found with 50m nakfa ($3m) in his house. (S/NF - Allegedly overseeing arms network into Somalia for insurgents. Also involved with arms from Iran.) (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers (SBU) This target has links to: Eritrea and Ethiopia (SBU) ARMS TRAFFICKING -------------- (SBU) Yemeni Sources of Weapons -------------- -- (SBU) Fares Mohamed Hassan Mana'a (a/k/a Faris Mohammed Mana'a): Yemeni businessman and arms dealer. Referred to in press as "tribal sheikh, arms dealer." Based in Yemen. ((S/NF) Allegedly supplying arms to Somalia and Sudan. Previously had company in NYC's World Trade Center with Jarman (below).) (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers (SBU) This target has links to: Yemen and may have traveled to U.S. -- (SBU) Ahmed Mohamed Mohamed Jarman: Yemeni businessman ((S/NF) who smuggles arms and drugs, connected to Mana'a. Allegedly has delivered arms into Somalia. Previously had company in NYC's World Trade Center with Mana'a (above).) (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers (SBU) This target has links to: Yemen and the U.S. (SBU) PIRACY-RELATED THREATS TO STABILITY -------------- (SBU) Leadership/Financiers -------------- -- (SBU) Mohamed Abdi Hassan "Afweyne": Somali regional warlord and leader of early piracy network. Allegedly imported weapons via Eritrea. On UN Monitoring Group's list. ((S/NF) On the French piracy list. May be using Ethiopian passport and traveling to Djibouti, per French. Allegedly traveled to India and spent time there in around 2008. May have family in India and U.S.) (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers (SBU) This target has links to: India, France, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and may have traveled to U.S. -- (SBU) Abshir Abdullahi "Boyah" a/k/a Farah Hirsi Kulan: Alleged pirate leader and financier. On UN Monitoring Group's list. ((S/NF) May travel with Canadian passport. Arrested in Puntland but freed by supporters in government. On the French piracy list.) (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers (SBU) This target has links to: Canada, France, Ethiopia, and Puntland -- (SBU) Mohamed Abdi Garaad: Principal commander, financier and organizer of pirate activities. Associated with approximately 800 pirates. Involved in attacks on MV Maersk Alabama and MV Liberty Sun (carrying food aid). On UN Monitoring Group's list. (SBU) The U.S. seeks bio-identifiers (SBU) This target has links to: Puntland (Eyl) and Somalia -------------- REPORTING DEADLINE AND POC -------------- ¶10. (U) Posts are requested to respond by 10 August. Point of contact in IO's Office of Peacekeeping, Sanctions, and Counterterrorism is Jean Clark (202.736.7736; clarkjt@state.sgov.gov). ¶11. (U) Department appreciates Posts' efforts. CLINTON