THREAT OF KIDNAPPING IN MAGHREB

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000025 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2020 TAGS: PTER PREL ASEC XI XG IT SUBJECT: THREAT OF KIDNAPPING IN MAGHREB REF: SECSTATE 769 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Barbara A. Leaf, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel points to Massimiliano D'Antuono, Deputy Director of the Italian MFA's Unita di crisi, Italy's "ops center" or situation room equivalent. ¶2. (U) With regard to travel warnings, D'Antuono said that Italy has issued alerts via the MFA website recommending against travel to Mauritania, Niger and certain areas of Mali (in the north of the country, and near the borders with Algeria, Niger and Mauritania). ¶3. (SBU) D,Antuono noted that this week, FM Frattini is undertaking a major Africa trip, which had been long planned (i.e., planned prior to the kidnapping of Italian tourist Sergio Cicala, 64, and his Burkina Faso-born wife, Philomene Kabouree, on December 20). The only change to the program in recent days was the addition of Mali to the visit. Frattini will be traveling to Mauritania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Uganda and Tunis (where he will visit the gravesite of former PM Bettino Craxi on January 19th, the tenth anniversary of his death). Frattini's visit will include the signing of agreements concerning development assistance for both Mauritania and Mali. (In the press, Frattini has characterized his Africa trip as focused on defending Italy's national interests and resolving the problem of illegal immigration "at the roots," and said on January 11 from Nouakchott that he "will do everything possible for the release of the Italian as well as the other hostages," but would not provide details because the kidnappers are "probably tied to Al Qaeda.") Recovering Italian Hostages -------------- ¶4. (C) Regarding Italian activities to recover the kidnapped citizens, D'Antuono said GOI Ambassadors have spoken with the governments of Burkino Faso, Mali and Mauritania, and that the GOI is very active in pursuing the hostages' release. Based on the experiences of Spain and the UK, and on advice from these countries, he said the GOI is attempting to work through only one country, Mali, which is where the GOI believes the tourists are currently being held (based on information gleaned from Al Qaeda-related websites),and is attempting to get the Malian government to coordinate on this issue with the government of Mauritania. Getting the two countries to coordinate is, he commented, "a difficult task," but this is the strategy being pursued based on the advice of Spain and the UK. D'Antuono said the GOI has had no direct contact with the kidnappers or the kidnapped, and noted that Italian intelligence services are in direct contact with the intel agencies of both Mali and Mauritania. Press Blackout is Key -------------- ¶5. (C) D'Antuono emphasized that a key to the GOI strategy is to keep the kidnapping out of the press headlines, and noted that the families involved now understand the importance of this. He said that if the kidnappers "perceived weakness" on the part of the Italian government, the situation would turn into a "nightmare." Therefore the GOI strategy is to avoid escalation through any type of "media standoff." Italy Firmly Opposed to Ransoms but Wants "Flexibility" -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Poloff delivered points regarding the making of concessions to terrorists or hostage takers; D'Antuono insisted the GOI was firmly against such practices. FM Frattini has said in recent statements that "anyone who has anything to do with terrorists helps them," and that "even if we were to say 'we'll talk' just this one time, we would be legitimizing a terrorist organization." Nonetheless, D'Antuono said, the GOI resisted signing the proposed G8 statement against kidnapping because it believes that in such situations, "maintaining flexibility" is crucial, and that the notion of what constitutes "ransom" is not entirely clear. ¶7. (C) D'Antuono shared four maps (which he said were classified though they are not marked) concerning the hostage situation and the activities of Al Qaeda in the Maghreb. Poloff will provide these maps to relevant USG agencies at post. ¶8. (SBU) D'Antuono was not familiar with the "Festival du Desert," but took note of the information and the Department's concerns. DIBBLE