US embassy cable - 97ADDISABABA8889

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