LIBYAN AND IRAQI RECRUITING ATTRACTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOGADISHU 02896 E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: MCAP PINS PREL SO LY IZ XF SUBJECT: LIBYAN AND IRAQI RECRUITING ATTRACTS SOMALI APPLICANTS ¶1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. ¶2. IN RECENT DAYS, FLIERS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED BY THE LIBYAN EMBASSY AROUND THE CITY OF MOGADISHU WHICH SEEK RECRUITS FOR AN "ALL-ARAB ARMY". THE "ARMY" IS AIMED AT FIGHTING "IMPERIALISM AND ZIONISM" AND ON FREEING ARAB LANDS FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE ARABIAN GULF FROM FOREIGN DOMINATION. THE FLIERS TELL PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS TO GO TO THE LIBYAN PEOPLE'S BUREAU IN MOGADISHU, WHERE THEY WILL BE TREATED "AS LIBYANS". SIMILAR FLIERS ARE REPORTEDLY BEING PASSED AROUND BY THE IRAQI EMBASSY, AS WELL. THE LIBYAN FLIER IDENTIFIES AS PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SOME TECHNICAL OR MILITARY TRAINING. - ¶3. THERE HAVE BEEN LARGE CROWDS OUTSIDE THE LIBYAN AND IRAQI MISSIONS HERE, LIKELY IN RESPONSE TO THE FLIERS. ON BOTH MARCH 12 AND 13 POLICE DISPERSED THE CROWDS, AND ON THE MORNING OF MARCH 13, THE MILITIA, WHICH IS ORGANIZED BY THE SINGLE POLITICAL PARTY HERE, WAS TAKING INTO CUSTODY THOSE PEOPLE WHO REMAINED HANGING AROUND THE LIBYAN MISSION. - ¶4. COMMENT: THE SOMALIS HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF TROUBLE GETTING ENOUGH RECRUITS TO MAN THEIR OWN ARMY, AND HAVE BEEN FORCED TO SEND PRESS GANGS PERI- ODICALLY AROUND THE CITY. THEY PROBABLY WILL LOOK ASKANCE AT SOMALIS RESPONDING FAVORABLY TO A FOR- EIGN MILITARY RECRUITMENT. SO FAR THE FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS NOT CALLED IN EITHER THE LIBYANS OR THE IRAQIS TO COMPLAIN OF THESE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS. BRIDGES