VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0722/01 3081255
ZNY SSSSS ZZH (CCY ADD22407 MSI5806 641)
R 041255Z NOV 09 ZDS ZUI RUEHCB 0021 3110145
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6402
INFO RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0597
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2196
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1534

S E C R E T KIGALI 000722 
 
NOFORN 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y - PARAGRAPH MARKINGS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/ITA,DS/SPC/MSG 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2018 
TAGS: ASEC KMSG
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITY ON EMBASSY KIGALI 
AND OTHER AMERICAN INTERESTS 
 
Classified By: RSO M. Wray, reason 1.4 (c,d) 
 
¶1. (S)  SUMMARY: Clusters of incidents sometimes have a more 
profound effect and come into focus after the group has 
formed.  Four recent incidents in Rwanda show a possible 
relationship and are reported in this cable. 1) On October 7, 
at a Marine function a Local Guard was approached and asked 
specific questions related to the Marines, the Marine house, 
their weapons and the number of Local Guard Force (LGF) 
assigned to Embassy Kigali. 2) As reported by Embassy 
Burundi, a Somali was apprehended by the Burundi authorities 
and was reported to have performed surveillance on Embassy 
Bujumbura. The man was also in possession of fraudulent 
travel documents. 3) Al Shabaab has publicly made statements 
suggesting they want to take hostile action against Uganda 
and Burundi. Of course Rwanda lies directly between the two 
countries. 4) A manager of a hotel frequented by Embassy 
Kigali staff, TDY visitors and American tourists reported an 
Arabic-looking man asking pointed questions about American 
and British activities at the hotel. END SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (SBU)  On October 7, the Marines hosted a party outside the 
on-compound Marine house. Three men approached a Embassy 
Local Guard and one asked him questions. He asked which 
specific building was the Marine house, how many total Local 
Guards there were assigned to the Embassy and if the Marines 
had weapons.  The guard acted correctly and stated he was not 
sure of any of the answers.  He then reported the questions 
and the men to his Supervisor shortly thereafter.  The 
Supervisor had noticed the men's arrival and consulted the 
logbook and reported the names to the RSO on October 8.  the 
men were possibly accompanied by a female.  Their names are: 
¶1. Abdulali Tahlil, born 1983 currently holding a Belgian 
driver license, 2) Ali Abdikalim, born 1970, currently 
holding a US driver license, 3) Jean Bosco Rutaganda, born 
1965 currently holding a Belgian driver license, and 4) Hawa 
Benemugisha, born 1987 currently holding a Rwandan national 
identity card.  The LGF Supervisor also reported that he is 
familiar with the Somali language and he believed the three 
men were speaking Somali. 
 
¶3. (SBU)  On approximately October 28, a man was taken into 
custody at the Bujumbura airport by Burundi police. He had 
been returned from Nairobi where he was found to be in the 
possession of fraudulent travel documents and a photo 
substituted South African Passport.  RSO Burundi stated he 
was identified by the Embassy Surveillance Detection team as 
appearing to do surveillance on the Embassy earlier in 
October.  RSO Burundi also reported he may be associated with 
other criminal elements in Burundi with ties to Rwanda. He 
attempted to use fraudulent South African travel documents 
purporting to be a Somali refugee named Rahman Abdi born 
01/01/1980.  RSO Bujumbura reported he had several hotel 
receipts from different countries in Africa.  RSO Burundi 
reports him to more probably be a Somali named Mohamed Badal 
Abdulahi born in Mogadishu, Somali on 03/03/1978. 
 
¶4. (S/NF)  While Al Shabaab has not made statements about actions 
against US interests in Rwanda; they have made statements 
suggesting they want to take hostile actions against Uganda 
and Burundi.  Embassy Kigali expresses concern due to the 
geographical proximity of Rwanda to both countries named as 
targets by Al Shabaab. 
Qtargets by Al Shabaab. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  On October 29, a manager of the Serena hotel located 
in Kigali reported to a member of Emb Kigali about an 
Arab-looking male making pointed queries about Americans and 
British citizens.  The man asking the questions was not a 
guest at the hotel.  He asked if there currently were 
Americans staying in the hotel or if American tourists 
frequented the hotel. The same questions were asked about any 
British at the hotel. The manager stated there were not, and 
they did not frequently have Americans or British in the 
hotel. The man then walked around the public areas of the 
hotel and left the area.  The manager reported that the 
incident occurred sometime near the middle of October. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Embassy Kigali has shared the information and photos 
related to the men at the October 7 function at the Marine 
house, and the information on the individual at the Serena 
hotel with the Rwanda National Police and other Rwanda 
Government Security services.  They were asked to investigate 
and alert Embassy Kigali about any developments of interest 
on the incidents.  The photos of the three men involved with 
the Marine house were shared with the Embassy Local Guard 
Force and the force was instructed to be alert and vigilant 
on this issue. 
 
 
¶7. (SBU)  An EAC, reported in reftel a, was convened related to 
the information in this cable. The Embassy-wide community and 
agencies were instructed to be alert to the possibility of 
surveillance and a possible heightened threat. 
 
SYMINGTON