UNSC SOMALIA SANCTIONS COMMITTEE TARGETS FOR

S E C R E T STATE 096937 NOFORN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2034 TAGS: EFIN ETTC KTFN PREL PTER XW UNSC SUBJECT: UNSC SOMALIA SANCTIONS COMMITTEE TARGETS FOR LISTING REF: A. STATE 52510 ¶B. PARIS 681 ¶C. USUN 475 Classified By: IO ACTING A/S ANDERSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) & (D) ¶1. (U) This is an action request; see para 3. -------------- STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE -------------- ¶2. (S/NF) The strategic objective is for the United States to begin discussions on potential targets for listing in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Somalia Sanctions Committee so individuals and entities threatening the peace and security of Somalia may be listed for a worldwide asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo. -------------- ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶3. (S/NF) USUN is to share with the UK and France the U.S. reactions (see para 5 below) to the Somalia Sanctions Committee's Monitoring Group's (MG) suggested targets of Somali individuals; armed groups; individuals involved in piracy; Eritrean individuals; and one other individual involved in arms embargo violations. USUN is requested to stress to the UK and France that the United States cannot guarantee its ability to list these individuals until it completes its internal domestic review. We welcome any and all information the P-3 has to share with us on these and any other targets they are interested in listing. After reporting P-3's reactions to the U.S. views, USUN may be instructed by the Department to share the information in para 5 below with other governments on the UNSC. USUN is instructed not to share these names beyond the P-3 without first receiving confirmation from Department. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶4. (U) The Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Somalia ("the Somalia Sanctions Committee" - www.un.org/sc/committees/751/index.shtml) was initially established to oversee implementation of the general and complete arms embargo. On November 20, 2008, the Security Council adopted resolution 1844 authorizing the Committee to designate for an 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, or distribution of humanitarian assistance. The Committee has not yet designated any individuals or entities. The U.S. will object to any request for a listing under UNSC resolution 1844 (2008) that lacks basic bio-identifier information (see para 7 below) because banks and others cannot implement an asset freeze without such information. Sufficient unclassified supporting information to explain how the activities of the targets meet the criteria for listing (see para 8 below) is also essential. Without a clearly laid out, well-documented case, we will run afoul of critics of UN sanctions regimes who claim that sanctions are imposed in a non-transparent fashion and cannot be effectively implemented by Member States. The U.S. must garner support from other UNSC Members for proposals to list targets in the Somalia Sanctions Committee, which operates by consensus. -------------- TARGET LIST -------------- ¶5. (S/REL UNSC MEMBERS) SOMALIS THREATENING THE PEACE, SECURITY AND STABILITY OF SOMALIA The U.S. supports the listing of four Somali names recommended by MG: -- Yasin Ali Baynah: Has mobilized support and raised funds on behalf of Somali insurgent groups. Is a founding member of Hisb-al Islam. Has initiated attacks against the TFG and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) peacekeeping operation. His activity is predominantly associated with Hisb-al Islam. If Hisb-al Islam is not listed see next section, it may be difficult for the U.S. to agree to his listing. -- Hassan Dahir Aweys: Already designated under U.S. Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 and by the UNSC 1267 Committee. Returned to Somalia spring 2009 and became head of Hisb-al Islam. -- Hassan Abdillahi Hersi "Al-Turki": Already designated under E.O. 13224 and by the UNSC 1267 Committee. -- Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamud "Godane": Already designated under E.O. 13224. Preview four additional Somali names of interest to USG: -- Isse Kamboni; Nationality: Somali. -- Fuad Mohamed Khalaf (AKA: Fuad Shongole); Nationality: Somali and Swedish; al-Shabaab leader. -- Bashir Mohamed Mahmoud; Nationality: Somali. -- Mohamed Sa'id "Atom"; Nationality: Somali; Leader of armed group. Implicated in kidnapping, weapons distribution, and possibly piracy. ARMED GROUPS THREATENING THE PEACE, SECURITY AND STABILITY OF SOMALIA -- Al-Shabaab: Already designated under E.O. 13224. France objected to our suggestion in March 2008 that al-Shabaab be listed by the UNSC 1267 Committee, because of concerns that it is not a cohesive organization and that its links to al-Qaida were tenuous. Seek UK and French views on listing al-Shabaab in the Somalia Sanctions Committee and ask if French views on adding al-Shabaab to the 1267 Committee Consolidated List have changed. -- Hisb-al Islam: The U.S. acknowledges the destabilizing impact Hisb-al Islam has had in Somalia and understands why the MG has suggested it be listed by the Somalia Sanctions Committee. We are interested in the UK's and France's views on whether listing Hisb-al Islam could undermine reconciliation and defection trends. PIRACY-RELATED INDIVIDUALS THREATENING THE PEACE, SECURITY AND STABILITY OF SOMALIA The U.S. would support the two names recommended by MG, but we will not be able to agree to their listing without bio-identifiers. At this time we have limited bio-identifiers for: -- Abshir Abdullahi "Boyah": Pirate leader/financier. -- Mohamed Abdi Garaad: Commander, financier and organizer of pirate activities. Associated with 800 pirates. Preview two additional piracy-linked individuals of interest to USG, for whom we do not yet have bio-identifiers. Seek information on bio-identifiers from other countries: -- Mohamed Abdi Hassan "Afweyne": Somali warlord and leader of early piracy network. Allegedly imported weapons via Eritrea. -- Abshir Caato (AKA Abshir Ato): Alleged pirate financier. On French list (reftel C). ERITREANS THREATENING THE PEACE, SECURITY AND STABILITY OF SOMALIA -- Colonel Te'ame/Dha'ami Goitom: Eritrean intelligence figure, involved in arms embargo violations and financially supporting anti-Ethiopian and anti-Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) groups. The United States does not have sufficient bio-identifiers to pursue listing of this individual. USUN should ask if the UK or France have bio-identifiers to share with us. -- Ali Abdu Ahmed: Eritrean Minister of Information, chief spokesperson on Somalia policy. Public statements to de-legitimize and encourage attacks on TFG/AMISOM. USUN should discuss political implications of listing the Minister of Information for making public statements (vice executing threatening or destabilizing acts). The U.S. has some concerns about this listing; USUN should ask if the UK or France have evidence of threatening or destabilizing acts. -- Yemane Gebreab: Eritrean ruling party Political Chief and advisor to Eritrean President on Somali affairs. Responsible for the government of Eritrea's policy towards, and actions in Somalia, including providing political, military, financial, and logistical support to armed opposition groups in Somalia. USUN may note that we understand that Yemane Gebreab is the primary interlocutor for the UK and France and that he is for the U.S. as well; nonetheless, we consider him to be a viable target for listing. ARMS EMBARGO VIOLATIONS Preview one additional individual of interest to USG, for his violations of the Somalia arms embargo: -- Fares Mohamed Hassan Mana'a (AKA Faris Mohammed Mana'a): Yemeni arms dealer. END TARGET LIST. -------------- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR USG ONLY -------------- ¶6. (S/NF) The following information is for USG background only and should NOT be shared with other governments. -- Colonel Te'ame/Dha'ami Goitom ) The U.S. is still discussing internally whether intelligence equities will prevent support for this target. There is no full clearance yet. However, he is on the UN Monitoring Group list, so his name is likely to come up in discussions with other countries. -- Hussein Mohamoud Muhumed Noor Alaki (AKA: Isse Kamboni; Nationality: Somali): al-Qaida in East Africa (AQEA) associate and leader of Hisb-al Islam and Ras Kamboni group - two armed insurgent groups in Somalia. Isse Kamboni is an AKA for Mohamoud Muhumed Noor Alaki's real name. However, the name is classified as SECRET/NOFORN and he is referred to as Isse Kamboni by the Somalia Sanctions Committee,s Monitoring Group, so USUN should refer to him as Isee Kamboni when discussing with other governments. -- Fuad Mohamed Khalaf (AKA: Fuad Shongole); Nationality: Somali and Swedish; Somalia-based financial facilitator. Reportedly a senior al-Shabaab figure. Helped plan October 2008 attacks in Hargeysa and Boosaaso. -- Bashir Mohamed Mahmoud: Somalia-based facilitator of funds, weapons and materials to insurgents in Somalia. Al-Shabaab militia commander. Has ties to AQEA. -------------- BIO-IDENTIFIERS -------------- ¶7. (U) Useful bio-identifiers include: - 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 -------------- DESIGNATION 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 designated 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. ¶9. (U) Department appreciates Mission's efforts. CLINTON