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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANJUL 000206 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DAKAR PASS DAO, ODC, AND RAO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS CASC ASEC PHUM GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: UPDATE ON AFTERMATH OF ABORTED COUP 
PLOT 
 
REF: A) BANJUL 194 B) BANJUL 178 C) BANJUL 190 D) 
 
     BANJUL 203 
 
BANJUL 00000206  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (B AND D) 
 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
¶1. (C) Sources portray President Jammeh as still recovering 
from a sense of shock and betrayal following the aborted coup 
attempt March 21, although he works to convey the image of a 
leader fully in charge in his public appearances.  The GOTG 
itself has yet to provide much information on the foiled 
plot, relying on suspects' televised confessions.  Sources 
report the release of seventeen (17) detainees cleared of 
involvement, including (10) military personnel; among  the 
civilians released is a National Assembly deputy with the 
ruling party, Omar Camara, and prominent lawyer Antouman Gaye 
(list of detainees in para 8). To our knowledge, none of the 
remaining detainees has as yet been charged, and there are 
reports that some of the detainees have been beaten.  The 
independent-minded National Assembly Speaker, Belinda 
Bidwell, spoke of her shock and deep disappointment over the 
coup plot, while judging that the Jammeh Government and the 
country generally had emerged unscathed and stable from the 
incident. She also predicted that the failed coup attempt 
would ensure Jammeh's re-election in the October 2006 
contest. However, the closing of "The Independent" and the 
reported beatings of detainees casts a long shadow over 
Bidwell's rosy prediction. (NOTE: See late-breaking news para 
seven.) END SUMMARY. 
 
OVERVIEW 
--------- 
 
¶2. (C) Two weeks after the aborted coup plot here March 21 
(ref a), an atmosphere of calm and normality prevails in 
Banjul, as the jitteriness recedes and enhanced military and 
security presence at various checkpoints is no longer in 
evidence. Although sources portray President Jammeh as still 
recovering from his sense of shock and betrayal over the 
incident, in his latest public appearances he has worked to 
convey the image of a leader fully in charge.  Attending a 
military graduation ceremony March 31, he alluded to the 
failed overthrow attempt in his address, stating, "there is 
no place in The Gambia for an alienated and self-seeking 
military  and spoke of a "small, bleak cloud" that would 
quickly vanish.   However, at a subsequent address that same 
day to mark the annual opening of the National Assembly's 
legislative session, Jammeh made no mention at all of the 
overthrow attempt (highlights of address reported septel). 
His April 2 visits to several military barracks and a 
suburban commercial area near Banjul received heavy media 
coverage and featured the predictable cheering onlookers. 
 
THE COUP PLOT 
------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The GOTG itself has yet to provide much information on 
the foiled plot, confining itself to its press release that 
the plot was at "an advanced stage" (ref b).  Instead, it has 
left it to detainees to provide details via their televised 
confessions (refs a and c).  At this point, our sense is that 
the plot was haphazardly planned by the ringleader, former 
Chief of Defense Staff Lt Col Ndure Cham, that active 
involvement was limited to a small minority of the Gambian 
military's officer corps along with a handful of civilians, 
among them Amcit (dual national) Tamsir Jasseh.  A senior 
police official and Embassy contact claimed to us that Jasseh 
was "the brains" behind the plot and that the latter had far 
more to reveal about it than he had disclosed in his 
televised confession.  In any event, we surmise that Cham's 
plot involved a dozen or so officers seizing various key 
sites -- e.g. presidential offices, radio and television 
stations, etc. -- the evening of March 21.  We surmise that 
when word of the plot leaked to other senior officers several 
hours in advance of the plot's implementation, Cham simply 
abandoned the plot and fled out of recognition that he lacked 
adequate support within the military. 
 
UPDATE ON DETENTIONS AND RELEASES 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Cham remains at large, and, according to our sources, 
may well have moved from his original hiding place in the 
Casamance to northern Senegal or another neighboring state. 
Meanwhile, the list of civilian detainees included, inter 
alia, two National Assembly deputies, Omar Camara 
 
BANJUL 00000206  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
(subsequently released--see para 8) and Demba Dem, both with 
the ruling APRC party.  Asked about these and other civilian 
detainees, a well-informed journalist and Embassy contact, 
Pap Saine, editor-in-chief of the daily, "The Point," 
asserted to us that most were picked up because their names 
were mentioned in confessions by the initially detained 
suspects.  We subsequently learned of the release of 17 
detainees (see para 8). 
 
¶5. (C)  To our knowledge, none of the remaining detainees, 
military or civilian, has been charged as yet.  Our sources 
indicate that a panel of investigators, composed of senior 
military, police, and intelligence officials, continues to 
question suspects. Asked about conditions of confinement, 
Saine told us April 3 that he had picked up reports that some 
of the detainees had been beaten by police officials and 
mentioned former National Intelligence Agency Director Daba 
Marena as among the victims.   Saine also indicated that 
authorities have yet to permit any access, including by 
family members, to the detainees.  (NOTE: On April 4, 
Ambassador contacted Interior Minister Baboucarr Jatta to 
repeat our request for access to detained Amcit Tamsir Jasseh 
and to register concern over the reported abuses of 
detainees.  Jatta took note of Ambassador's presentation and 
undertook to get back with a response. We are not aware, at 
this point, of any local or foreign organizations requesting 
access to the detainees; Pol/EconOff contacted the Africa 
Center for Human Rights and Democracy, which indicated that 
it had yet to request access.  END NOTE) 
 
ASSESSMENT OF DEPUTY SPEAKER 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) In April 4 discussion with Ambassador, the National 
Assembly's independent-minded Deputy Speaker, Belinda Bidwell 
(appointed by Jammeh to the National Assembly, but not an 
APRC member) said she had been shocked and deeply 
disappointed to learn of the attempted coup. Bidwell 
explained that she had thought that The Gambia's political 
development had reached a point where such unconstitutional 
attempts to change the government were a thing of the past. 
She judged, though, that both the Jammeh government and the 
country itself had emerged unscathed and stable from the 
episode.  She perceived the Gambian public to be rallying 
around Jammeh following the failed coup attempt and, 
referring to this groundswell of popular support for Jammeh, 
asserted  that  "this failed plot has ensured his re-election 
in the fall,". When Ambassador expressed concern over 
worrisome developments in the coup plot's  aftermath, e.g. 
closure of the journal, "The Independent" (ref d) and the 
reported abuse of detainees, Bidwell said she was also 
concerned and would get further details on these developments. 
 
LATE-BREAKING DEVELOPMENT ON DETAINEES 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) As this cable was being drafted in the late 
afternoon of April 4, the Embassy received a press release 
from the Office of Inspector General of Police alleging that 
five suspected coup plotters escaped when their vehicle 
almost overturned as they were being transferred from Mile 
Two Prison (Banjul) to Janjanbureh Prison (near Georgetown). 
Among the alleged escapees was the former Director General of 
the National Intelligence Agency, Daba Marena.  Additional 
details to be provided septel. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (C) We have as yet picked up no signs that a GOTG 
crackdown on the opposition parties is underway, and several 
opposition leaders have issued statements condemning the 
coup.  However, if, as the National Assembly Deputy Speaker 
suggests, the coup attempt created a groundswell of popular 
support for Jammeh, it is possible that the closure of "The 
Independent" and the  reported abuse of detainees will have 
the opposite effect.  We will continue to register our 
concern about these developments in upcoming meetings 
requested with senior GOTG officials.  END COMMENT. 
 
LIST OF DETAINEES RELEASED 
-------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU)  Following is a list of those released to-date 
according to our sources: 
 
Major Ebrima Bah - Commander Yundum Barracks 
Major Sainey Bayo 
 
BANJUL 00000206  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
Lt. Commander M. B. Sarr - former Commander, Gambia Navy 
Captain Y. N. Jallow 
Captain Famara Jammeh - State Guard 
Lieutenant M. Savage - State Guard 
Sergeant Abdoulie Sanyang - State Guard 
Private Sonko - State Guard 
Ebrima Camara - former Police Commissioner 
Momat Cham - retired army major, former minister in the 
military regime of 1994 
 
Mr. Omar Camara - APRC NAM for Kantora 
Mrs. Camara - wife of APRC NAM Omar Camara 
Lamin Gassama - Security Manager, GCAA 
Ebou Waggeh - former GRTS Producer 
Antouman Gaye - prominent lawyer 
Ousman Sey - Quranic Teacher 
Adama Deen - former MD at the Ports Authority 
 
 
 
 
STAFFORD