Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE80765
2009-08-03 23:34:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

UNSC SOMALIA SANCTIONS: INFO REQUEST

Tags:  EFIN ETTC KTFN PREL PTER XW UNSC 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3762
OO RUEHDE
DE RUEHC #0765/01 2152351
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O R 032334Z AUG 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE 8018
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI IMMEDIATE 0704
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE 2462
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 6038
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 6009
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 5546
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM IMMEDIATE 7744
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI IMMEDIATE 8871
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 7085
INFO RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA 7010
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 7967
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA 9601
RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHINGTON DC 0003
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)

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
(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