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