US embassy cable - 02ROME1402

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 001402 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2012 
TAGS: PREL, ET, SO, ET, SO, ET, SO, IT, ITPREL, ITPREL 
SUBJECT: SOMALIA:  AIDID "AMBASSADOR" ACCUSES ITALIAN 
GOVERNMENT OF GRAND LARCENY, ATTEMPTED MURDER 
 
REF: K. METRES-G. COLVIN (AF/E) TELCONS AND EMAILS 
     FEB. 12-MARCH 4 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL M C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASON 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
SUMMARY 
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                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01402  01 OF 03  191616Z 
 
1.     (C) POLOFF MET WITH FADUMA FARAH AIDID, THE SISTER OF 
"SOMALI PRESIDENT" HUSSEIN MOHAMED AIDID AND DAUGHTER OF THE 
ASSASSINATED WARLORD GENERAL AIDID FEBRUARY 20.  HUSSEIN 
AIDID IS THE HEAD OF THE SOMALI RECONCILIATION AND 
RESTORATION COUNCIL (SRRC) FACTION BUT HAS NO REAL CLAIM TO 
BEING PRESIDENT OF SOMALIA.  EXPRESSING EXTREME DISTRUST OF 
ITALIAN AND EUROPEAN INTENTIONS, MS. AIDID SOUGHT A "NEW 
PARTNERSHIP" BETWEEN SOMALIA AND THE UNITED STATES. 
ACCORDING TO THE MFA, MS. AIDID HAS A NUMBER OF BEEFS AGAINST 
THE GOI, PRINCIPALLY THAT SHE IS UNABLE TO ACCESS THE SOMALI 
EMBASSY AND ITS BANK ACCOUNT.  SHE MADE A NUMBER OF SERIOUS 
AND INCREDIBLE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE GOI, INCLUDING THAT 
THE GOI HAD STOLEN SOMALI GOVERNMENT PROPERTY, PERMITTED ARMS 
TO BE SMUGGLED INTO SOMALIA, AND SENT ASSASSINS TO KILL HER 
BROTHER.  PER REFCON INTEREST, POST'S MEETING WITH AIDID IS 
FULLY TRANSMITTED FOR THE RECORD.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.    (SBU) PRESENTING A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS TO BOLSTER HER 
CLAIM TO REPRESENT THE GOVERNMENT OF SOMALIA AS ITS 
AMBASSADOR, FADUMA FARAH AIDID REQUESTED A MEETING WITH THE 
AMBASSADOR "IN ORDER TO REESTABLISH NORMAL DIPLOMATIC, 
POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN SOMALIA AND THE 
UNITED STATES."  THE REQUEST WAS SIGNED BY AN ITALIAN NAMED 
FRANCO CANNATA', IDENTIFIED AS GENERAL COUNSELOR FOR SPECIAL 
AFFAIRS OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC.  ON FEBRUARY 20, AIDID AND 
CANNATA MET WITH POLOFF AT THE U.S. EMBASSY.  THEY ARRIVED AN 
HOUR LATE, AND MS. AIDID ADDRESSED POLOFF IN THE FAMILIAR 
VOICE (IN ITALIAN).  HER RAMBLING, ACCUSATORY REMARKS LACKED 
IN DIPLOMATIC FINESSE AND CREDIBILITY. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01402  01 OF 03  191616Z 
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE AND WHAT DO THEY REPRESENT? 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
3.     (C) MS. AIDID IS THE DAUGHTER OF ASSASSINATED WARLORD 
GENERAL AIDID AND SISTER OF "SOMALI PRESIDENT" HUSSEIN 
MOHAMED AIDID.  ACCORDING TO MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR EAST 
AFRICAN AFFAIRS PAOLA IMPERIALE, HUSSEIN AIDID REPRESENTS 
HIMSELF INSIDE SOMALIA AS THE HEAD OF THE ETHIOPIAN-ALLIED 
SRRC, NOT CHIEF OF STATE.  HIS ONLY CLAIM TO BEING 
"PRESIDENT" IS PHYSICAL POSSESSION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL 
PALACE.  IMPERIALE DISMISSED HIM AS NOT EVEN A PARTICULARLY 
INFLUENTIAL WARLORD.  STILL MORE ODDLY, HUSSEIN HAD RECENTLY 
BYPASSED HIS SISTER AND CANNATA TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE GOI 
VIA ANOTHER ITALIAN.  (THE MESSAGE STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE 
TO CONSULT WITH THE GOI REGARDING THE UPCOMING NAIROBI PEACE 
CONFERENCE, IN WHICH THE SRRC HAS AGREED TO PARTICIPATE. 
IMPERIALE NOTED THAT THE GOI HAD SENT TWO MESSAGES TO 
ETHIOPIA, THE FIRST ENCOURAGING ETHIOPIA TO PARTICIPATE AND 
THE SECOND RECOGNIZING ITS INFLUENCE OVER CERTAIN 
PARTIES--READ SRRC--AND ASKING IT TO CONVINCE THEM TO 
PARTICIPATE.) 
 
4.    (C) ACCORDING TO BACKGROUND INFORMATION FROM IMPERIALE, 
MS. AIDID AND CANNATA--WHO IS EITHER HER HUSBAND OR LIVE-IN 
PARTNER--WENT TO THE MFA PROTOCOL OFFICE LATE LAST YEAR TO 
REQUEST THAT A POLICE ESCORT BE PROVIDED SO THAT SHE COULD 
OCCUPY THE SOMALI EMBASSY.  THE FORMER CONSUL GENERAL (A 
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LATE AIDID SR.'S GOVERNMENT) LIVES IN 
THE EMBASSY AS A CARETAKER AND GUARDIAN OF ITS SECRET FILES. 
PROTOCOL INFORMED MS. AIDID THAT IT WOULD BE UNABLE TO HELP 
HER ACCESS THE EMBASSY, SINCE SHE WAS NO LONGER AN ACCREDITED 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01402  01 OF 03  191616Z 
DIPLOMAT IN ITALY AND THE GOI DID NOT RECOGNIZE ANY 
GOVERNMENT IN SOMALIA.  IN EARLY DECEMBER, JUST BEFORE 
SENDING HER MEETING REQUEST TO US, AIDID ASKED THE MINISTRY 
OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE TO PROVIDE HER ACCESS TO THE SOMALI 
EMBASSY'S BANK ACCOUNT.  AIDID WAS INFORMED THAT THE MINISTRY 
DID NOT KNOW IF OR WHERE THE EMBASSY STILL HAD FUNDS IN 
ITALY.  IN ANY CASE, IT WOULD BE UNABLE TO OBLIGE A BANK TO 
PROVIDE ACCESS TO HER WITHOUT EITHER WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM 
THE ACCOUNT SIGNATORIES OR INSTRUCTIONS FROM A RECOGNIZED 
SOMALI GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY. 
 
5.    (C) MS. AIDID PROVIDED POST WITH A DOCUMENT THAT 
INDICATES THAT SHE CAME TO ITALY IN 1986 AS AN ACCREDITED 
THIRD SECRETARY AT THE EMBASSY; SHE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN 
CONTINUALLY RESIDENT HERE SINCE.  MS. AIDID ALSO PRESENTED A 
COURT DECISION STATING THAT IN JUNE 2000, THE PREFECT OF 
VITERBO ORDERED HER DEPORTED FOR REMAINING WITHOUT APPLYING 
FOR RESIDENCY.  HE APPARENTLY BELIEVED THAT HER DIPLOMATIC 
VISA WAS NO LONGER VALID, SINCE SHE DID NOT REPRESENT A 
RECOGNIZED GOVERNMENT.  HOWEVER, AIDID PREVAILED BEFORE A 
JUDGE, WHO RULED THAT SINCE IT WAS NOT CLEAR WHO REPRESENTED 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5916 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01402  02 OF 03  191616Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   INL-00   DODE-00  DOTE-00  DS-00 
      EB-00    EUR-00   FAAE-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01 
      VCE-00   NEA-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00  PM-00    EPAE-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  DRL-02   SAS-00     /004W 
                  ------------------777BB4  191616Z /38 
R 191532Z MAR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2831 
INFO IGAD COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMEMBASSY RIYADH 
AMEMBASSY SANAA 
CIA WASHDC 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 001402 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2012 
TAGS: PREL, ET, SO, IT 
SUBJECT: SOMALIA:  AIDID "AMBASSADOR" ACCUSES ITALIAN 
GOVERNMENT OF GRAND LARCENY, ATTEMPTED MURDER 
 
SOMALIA, SHE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO STAY UNTIL HER VISA EXPIRED 
IN 2001. (COMMENT: SINCE HER VISA AND PASSPORT EXPIRED LAST 
YEAR, HER APPROACH TO US AND OTHERS--SEE PARA 9--MAY BE 
ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN INTERNATIONAL VISIBILITY SO THAT THE 
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT WILL NOT MOVE TO DEPORT HER.  END 
COMMENT.) FOR THESE REASONS AND OTHERS, AIDID SEEMS TO HARBOR 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01402  02 OF 03  191616Z 
EXTREME ANIMOSITY TOWARD THE GOI.  PARAS 6-8 PROVIDE A 
COMPILATION OF HER VIEWS. 
 
SPIES AND MEDDLING FOREIGNERS EVERYWHERE 
---------------------------------------- 
 
6.    (C) --MS. AIDID WANTS TO PREVENT THE GOI FROM DOING 
FURTHER (UNSPECIFIED) DAMAGE TO SOMALIA. 
--THE "GOS" (AS REPRESENTED BY MS. AIDID) IS READY TO DROP 
EUROPE AND WORK WITH THE UNITED STATES. 
--THE LETTERS THAT HER GOVERNMENT HAS SENT TO THE USG DO NOT 
ARRIVE BECAUSE THE ITALIAN SECRET SERVICE TAKES THEM. 
--THE ARAB COUNTRIES DO NOT WANT SOMALIA TO ADVANCE.  THE GOI 
USES ARABS TO ADVANCE ITS ANTI-SOMALIA AGENDA. 
--FOREIGN MERCENARIES ARE ENTERING SOMALIA FROM ERITREA.  THE 
ITALIAN MFA AND MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR ARE COLLUDING IN 
PASSPORT FRAUD TO FACILITATE THIS MOVEMENT. 
--THE GOI MAINTAINS A MILITARY SATELLITE ABOVE THE INDIAN 
OCEAN THAT PROVIDES INFORMATION TO ARAB AND SOMALI TERRORISTS 
IN ORDER TO FACILITATE ASSASSINATIONS IN SOMALIA. 
--THE ITALIAN AMBASSADOR WHO WAS EXPELLED FROM ERITREA WAS A 
COLONEL IN THE ITALIAN SECRET SERVICE BEFORE BEING SENT TO 
ERITREA TO SPY ON SOMALIA. 
--THE GOI COLLABORATES WITH THE "FOLLOWERS OF SIAD BARRE" WHO 
LIVE IN THE SOMALI EMBASSY PROPERTY.  (COMMENT:  ACCORDING TO 
IMPERIALE, THE CARETAKER OF THE EMBASSY IS A FORMER AIDID, 
SR. REPRESENTATIVE AND COLLEAGUE OF MS. AIDID'S.  SHE NOTED 
THAT AIDID, SR. HIMSELF WAS A BARRE PROTG UNTIL THE TWO 
BEGAN TO STRUGGLE FOR POWER.  END COMMENT.) 
--THE GOI IS THE "ONLY GOVERNMENT IN THE WORLD THAT ARROGATES 
TO ITSELF THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHO REPRESENTS SOMALIA." 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01402  02 OF 03  191616Z 
 
GRAND LARCENY 
------------- 
 
7.    (C) --THE GOI STOLE $5M OF SOMALI GOVERNMENT MONEY AND 
SENT IT TO BARRE THROUGH ITS CENTRAL BANK.  BECAUSE IT CAN NO 
LONGER STEAL FUNDS UNDER THE AIDID, JR. GOVERNMENT, IT WANTS 
TO DESTABILIZE SOMALIA.  "ITALY IS MAKING WAR AGAINST US." 
--THE GOI ARRESTED HER (COMMENT: FOR VIOLATING IMMIGRATION 
LAW END COMMENT) BECAUSE IT WAS AFRAID SHE WOULD EXPOSE ITS 
WRONGDOING. 
--COL. LUCA RAJOLA PESCARINI STOLE THE SOMALI GOVERNMENT 
FLEET OF SHIPS IN 1991. 
--ITALIANS ARE USING HAWALA-TYPE MONEY SYSTEMS ASTEL AND 
NATIONLINK TO FACILITATE THEIR ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. 
--PRESIDENT CIAMPI AND PM BERLUSCONI ARE MEMBERS OF BARAKAT 
THROUGH TELECOM ITALIA. 
 
ARMS SMUGGLING AND ATTEMPTED MURDER 
----------------------------------- 
 
8.  (C) ACCORDING TO MS. AIDID, BOTH THE "KARINE-A" AND SHIPS 
BEARING ARMS FOR SOMALIA DEPARTED FROM ITALY.  FURTHERMORE, 
MERCENARIES FINANCED BY BERLUSCONI TRIED TEN TIMES IN JULY TO 
ASSASSINATE HER BROTHER HUSSEIN. 
 
9.  (SBU) IN MID-MARCH, POST WAS CONTACTED BY AN ISRAELI 
EMBASSY CONTACT SEEKING INFORMATION ON MS. AIDID, APPARENTLY 
TO HANDLE A REQUEST FOR A MEETING. 
 
COMMENT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01402  02 OF 03  191616Z 
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10.  (C) BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED FROM THE MFA, 
WE WONDER IF "AMBASSADOR" AIDID REPRESENTS EVEN HER FAMILY, 
MUCH LESS ANYTHING APPROACHING A GOVERNMENT.  END COMMENT. 
 
11.  (SBU) THE FOLLOWING IS A LETTER (UNOFFICIALLY TRANSLATED 
FROM THE ITALIAN) WRITTEN IN FAVOR OF MS. AIDID'S CAUSE BY 
GUILIANO PISAPIA, A COMMUNIST RENEWAL REPRESENTATIVE IN THE 
CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.  PISAPIA IS ARRIVING AN HOUR LATE AND 
MAKING THE FAUX PAS OF ADDRESSING POLOFF IN THE FAMILIAR 
VOICE (IN ITALIAN), AIDID'S RAMBLING, ACCUSATORY REMARKS 
SORELY LACKED IN DIPLOMATIC FINESSE AND CREDIBILITY.  ONE OF 
A NUMBER OF ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS THAT SUPPORT 
PRO-ETHIOPIAN FACTIONS IN SOMALIA. 
 
BEGIN TEXT. 
 
TO THE MINISTERS OF INTERIORS AND OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: 
 
WITNESSETH THAT 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5915 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01402  03 OF 03  191616Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   DODE-00  DS-00    EAP-00   EUR-00 
      VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   VCE-00   NEA-00 
      NSAE-00  EPAE-00  DSCC-00  DRL-02   SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------777BC3  191616Z /38 
R 191532Z MAR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2832 
INFO IGAD COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMEMBASSY RIYADH 
AMEMBASSY SANAA 
CIA WASHDC 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 001402 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2012 
TAGS: PREL, ET, SO, IT 
SUBJECT: SOMALIA:  AIDID "AMBASSADOR" ACCUSES ITALIAN 
GOVERNMENT OF GRAND LARCENY, ATTEMPTED MURDER 
 
BY DECREE DATED JUNE 6, 2000, THE PREFECT OF VITERBO ORDERED 
THE DEPORTATION OF THE SOMALI CITIZEN FADUMA FARAH AIDID FOR 
REMAINING IN THE STATE TERRITORY WITHOUT APPLYING FOR THE 
RESIDENCE PERMIT WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TERM; 
 
MS. AIDID, DAUGHTER OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE SOMALI 
REPUBLIC, GENERAL AIDID, KILLED IN 1996, AND SISTER OF THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01402  03 OF 03  191616Z 
CURRENT PRESIDENT HUSSEIN MOHAMED AIDID, CAME TO ITALY IN 
1986 ACCREDITED TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AS THIRD 
SECRETARY AT THE EMBASSY OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC IN ROME; 
 
SIPDIS 
 
IN THE DEPORTATION ORDER, IT IS STATED THAT MS. AIDID &IS NO 
LONGER A STAFF MEMBER8 OF THE SOMALI MISSION TO ITALY; 
 
SUCH A STATEMENT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY ANY DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE 
AND IS CONTRADICTED BY THE FACT THAT MS. AIDID IS THE HOLDER 
OF A DIPLOMATIC VISA VALID UNTIL 2001 AND OF A NOTE OF 
ACCREDITATION RELEASED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOMALI 
REPUBLIC; 
 
THE TRIBUNAL OF VITERBO, THEREFORE, HAS INVALIDATED THE 
DEPORTATION ORDER BY JUDICIAL RULING ON JUNE 28, 2000; 
 
THE GENERAL COUNSELOR FOR SPECIAL AFFAIRS AT THE EMBASSY OF 
THE SOMALI REPUBLIC TO ITALY, MR. FRANCO CANNATA,, IN A 
COMPLAINT SENT TO THE REPUBLIC PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE HAS 
POINTED TO THE FACT THAT THE EMBASSY BUILDING HAS BEEN 
ILLEGALLY TAKEN OVER BY PERSONS UNRELATED TO THE DIPLOMATIC 
MISSION, NAMELY BY EXPONENTS OF THE REGIME OF SIAD BARRE, 
OVERTHROWN IN 1991, WHO ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO PERFORM 
FUNCTIONS THAT ARE NOT RECOGNIZED AS THEIR OWN BY EITHER THE 
LEGITIMATE SOMALI GOVERNMENT OR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY; 
 
THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS NOT INTERVENED, SO FAR, TO PUT AN 
END TO THIS SITUATION AND HAS, INSTEAD, INCREASED THE GENERAL 
CONFUSION IN THAT IT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE REPRESENTATIVES 
OF THE LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT OF MOGADISHU, SO THAT THE SOMALI 
EMBASSY TO ITALY DOES NOT EXIST AT PRESENT; 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01402  03 OF 03  191616Z 
 
IN ADDITION, THE DIPLOMATIC COUNSELOR OF THE SOMALI EMBASSY 
HAS DENOUNCED IRREGULAR AND INTIMIDATING BEHAVIORS FROM THE 
INTELLIGENCE AND THE ITALIAN POLICE FORCES; 
 
REQUESTS TO KNOW: 
 
WHAT INFORMATION THEY HAVE IN RELATION TO THE ABOVE MENTIONED 
FACTS AND WHAT MEASURES THEY INTEND TO ADOPT, IN ORDER TO 
GUARANTEE COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW TOWARD THE 
DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC IN ITALY 
AND, IN PARTICULAR, TO REMOVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THIS STATE 
OF UNCERTAINTY, WHICH IS CREATING SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR SOMALI 
CITIZENS RESIDING IN ITALY; 
 
WHAT MEASURES THEY INTEND TO ADOPT TO ASCERTAIN THE VERACITY 
OF THE STATEMENTS BY THE DIPLOMATIC COUNSELOR OF THE EMBASSY 
OF THE SOMALI REPUBLIC. 
 
HON. GIULIANO PISAPIA 
 
END TEXT. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME01402 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL