US embassy cable - 02ABUJA3030

S E C R E T ABUJA 003030 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EB/ESC/ESP, S/CT AND AF/W 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X5 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, ECON, ETTC, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: NASCO GROUP (NIGERIA) LIMITED 
 
 
REF: A)STATE 165061, B) STATE 10592, C0 ABUJA 187 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR HOWARD F. JETER. REASON 
1.6X5. 
 
 
1.  (S) During an October 10 conversation, Ambassador 
Jeter informed National Security Advisor Aliyu 
Mohammed that the NASCO parent company based in Turkey 
and many of its subsidiaries and affiliate companies 
have been jointly designated by the Italian and United 
States governments as involved in terrorist financing. 
The Ambassador stressed that NASCO had links to Al 
Queda and other known terrorist organizations, thus 
the basis for NASCO's designation. 
 
 
2.  (S) Ambassador Jeter told Mohammed that NASCO 
subsidiaries in Nigeria were not yet designated. Given 
the large role the NASCO group of companies plays in 
the economy of Plateau State this was salutary 
economically; moreover, the non-designation also 
helped Nigeria politically. However, the Ambassador 
emphasized the investigative process was not yet 
complete. If the use of any of these subsidiaries for 
terrorism financing were to be detected, the companies 
would be swiftly quickly placed on the list. 
Moreover, since many of the other NASCO companies were 
now designated, NASCO principals might try to use the 
non-designated companies in Nigeria to move money. 
Ambassador Jeter advised Mohammed that Nigeria must be 
extremely vigilant in watching these companies. 
 
 
3.  (S) Mohammed stated that he clearly understood the 
importance of this issue and would confer with the 
Central Bank to establish a mechanism to strictly 
monitor NASCO financial transactions. 
 
 
4.  (S) we plan to get back to NSA Mohammed to inquire 
what concrete actions have been taken and to ascertain 
any findings thus far. 
 
 
ANDREWS