DESIGNATION OF AL'ITTIHAD AS A FOREIGN

S E C R E T ADDIS ABABA 008889


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/07
TAGS: PTER PREL ET
SUBJECT: DESIGNATION OF AL'ITTIHAD AS A FOREIGN
TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

REF: A) ADDIS ABABA 8866
B) STATE 194218
C) ADDIS ABABA 7920
D) STATE 191813
E) 96 ADDIS ABABA 06142

CLASSIFIED BY DCM MARTIN G. BRENNAN. REASONS: 1.5(B),
(C) AND (D)


1. (S) EMBASSY APPRECIATES THE DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE
(REF B) TO OUR QUERY AS TO WHY AL'ITTIHAD AL ISLAMIA
WAS NOT DESIGNATED A FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
THE DEPARTMENT NOTED THE THREE CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION
OF A TERRORIST GROUP: A FOREIGN ORGANIZATION THAT
ENGAGES IN TERRORIST ACTIVITY AND THREATENS THE
SECURITY OF UNITED STATES NATIONALS OR THE NATIONAL
SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES.


2. (S) WE BELIEVE THAT AL'ITTIHAD MEETS THESE
CRITERIA AND SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED FOR
DESIGNATION AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. AL'ITTIHAD
HAS ESTABLISHED AN EXTENSIVE RECORD OF TERRORIST
ACTIVITIES IN ETHIOPIA. ETHIOPIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE
CREDIBLY IMPLICATED AL'ITTIHAD IN THE JANUARY 1996
BOMBING OF THE GHION HOTEL, THE JULY 1996 ASSASSINATION
ATTEMPT AGAINST MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND
COMMUNICATIONS ABDUL-MEJID AND THE AUGUST 1996 BOMBING
OF THE WABE SHEBELLE HOTEL IN ADDIS ABABA. THESE
INCIDENTS RESULTED IN INDIVIDUALS KILLED AND WOUNDED
INCLUDING FOREIGNERS. INDEED, FOREIGNERS FREQUENT
THOSE AREAS OF THE GHION AND WABE SHEBELLE HOTELS WHERE
THE BOMBS WENT OFF. THE EMBASSY HAD REASON TO SUSPECT
THAT THE THREAT AGAINST THE LIFE OF AMBASSADOR SHINN ON
JULY 14, 1996 (REF E) COULD HAVE BEEN LINKED TO
AL'ITTIHAD. WE ALSO CALL THE DEPARTMENT'S ATTENTION TO
RECENT ROAL REPORTS (TD314/18683-97 AND TD314/09508-97)
WHICH INDICATE THAT AL'ITTIHAD WAS INVOLVED IN THE
TRAINING/LOGISTICS OF HIT SQUADS THAT WERE TO
INFILTRATE URBAN CENTERS OF ETHIOPIA TO ATTACK
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND FOREIGNERS.


3. (S) REPORTING FROM EMBASSY NAIROBI AS WELL AS THIS
EMBASSY INDICATES THAT AL'ITTIHAD IS MAKING EVERY
EFFORT TO UNDERMINE ATTEMPTS AT ACHIEVING PEACE AND A
SEMBLANCE OF GOVERNANCE IN SOMALIA. THERE ARE ALSO
CREDIBLE REPORTS THAT AL'ITTIHAD IS INVOLVED IN DRUG
SMUGGLING TO FINANCE ITS ACTIVITIES. DOCUMENTS SEIZED
BY ETHIOPIAN FORCES DURING AN AUGUST 1996 ATTACK ON AN
AL'ITTIHAD BASE AT LUUQ IN SOMALIA CLEARLY INDICATE
THAT AL'ITTIHAD RECRUITS WERE RECEIVING TRAINING FROM
AFGHAN ARABS AMONG OTHERS WITH LINKS TO IRAN AND SUDAN.
AL'ITTIHAD IS CLEARLY ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH ELEMENTS
LINKED TO SAUDI TERRORIST USMANA BIN LADEN.


4. (S) BASED ON INDICATIONS RECEIVED TO DATE,
AL'ITTIHAD IS DEDICATED TO DESTABILIZING EASTERN
ETHIOPIA AND UNDERMINING THE GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA AS
WELL. IF AL'ITTIHAD WERE TO CONSOLIDATE ITS POSITION
IN SOMALIA, THERE IS NO DOUBT IN OUR MINDS THAT IT
WOULD EXPORT ITS BRAND OF TERRORISM AND POLITICAL ISLAM
TO OTHER COUNTRIES IN REGION. THIS REPRESENTS A THREAT
TO U.S. INTERESTS IN THE REGION AND A DIRECT THREAT TO
AMERICANS.


SHINN