VZCZCXYZ0017
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKH #0578/01 1060750
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150750Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0561

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000578 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS, NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC EFIN KCRM KPAO PTER KHLS AEMR SU
SUBJECT: U.S. AMBASSADORS FUND FOR CT -- PROPOSAL FOR KHARTOUM 
 
REF: STATE 20081 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Below is Embassy Khartoum's submission for the 
U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Counterterrorism.  The proposed project 
would take place at the Spring Youth Center in Omdurman, the 
historic capital and working-class hub of the Khartoum metropolitan 
area.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) BACKGROUND: Many of the factors known to breed extremism 
are prevalent in Omdurman, including high levels of poverty, 
population density, unemployment, and youth under 25.  Local press 
reported in February 2008 that pro-Al-Qaeda graffiti was scattered 
throughout Omdurman.  Within the last year, one extremist Islamic 
terrorist cell attacked and killed an American USAID officer and a 
local USAID employee, and other individuals were discovered in 
August 2007 while attempting to make a bomb for terrorist purposes. 
Though Sudan continues its cooperative commitment against terrorism 
with the United States, it is well known that infamous terrorists 
such as Osama bin Laden and Carlos the Jackal all sought refuge and 
operated within Sudan in the 1990s.  END BACKGROUND. 
 
¶3. (SBU) NAME OF PROPOSED PROJECT: Omdurman Community Adolescent 
Athletic Outreach (OCAAO). 
 
¶4. (SBU) CONTACT OFFICERS: Eric Barbee (BarbeeEM@state.gov) and 
Walter Braunohler (BraunohlerWM@state.gov). 
 
¶5. (SBU) PLANNED START DATE: August 15, 2008. 
 
¶6. (SBU) ESTIMATED TOTAL COST: USD 42,500 
 
¶7. (SBU) POTENTIAL SUPPLEMENTARY SOURCES OF FUNDING: Donations from 
American soccer associations and major soccer equipment suppliers. 
In-kind donations from the youth center and its volunteers. 
 
¶8. (SBU) TARGET AUDIENCE FOR PROJECT AND DESIRED EFFECT ON AUDIENCE 
PERCEPTIONS: Adolescent boys ages 13-17 (approximately 250 direct 
participants in an 8-week tournament), with approximately 500 weekly 
spectators.  In addition, there will be the enormous multiplier 
effect of newspaper, radio, and television media coverage.  With the 
help of local police and religious leaders, in addition to national 
sports heroes, young participants will be encouraged to reject 
extremism. 
 
¶9. (SBU) PROJECT METHOD: Inform, persuade, develop. 
 
¶10. (SBU) TASKS AND ACTIVITIES: The core of the program is a 10-week 
soccer and basketball tournament, held weekly at the Spring 
Community Youth Center in Omdurman, Sudan.  Each week, guest 
speakers will conduct a "time out" presentation before or after each 
game focusing on anti-extremist messages, highlighting values of 
moderation, tolerance, and pluralism.  Local police commissioners, 
mosque leaders, and other community leaders (including sports 
celebrities) have all agreed to participate in this program.  The 
Head of Protocol at the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the 
Sports Director at the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Sports have 
both approved of this program.  At the end of the program, an awards 
ceremony for the competition's winners will be held and a pamphlet 
highlighting each week's guest speaker message will be delivered to 
all participants. 
 
¶11. (SBU) EXPLANATION OF HOW THE PROPOSAL WILL ENHANCE THE ABILITY 
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO DETER TERRORISTS AND TERRORIST 
GROUPS: This project will afford local law enforcement direct access 
to a vulnerable youth population and will enable them to establish a 
better relationship with influential religious, political, and 
community leaders.  This program will empower these credible voices 
and give them a chance to network with other community leaders while 
giving at-risk youth alternative activities to extremism.  The 
strength of this program is in its community focus, the weekly 
repetition of anti-extremist messages, and in the positive 
reinforcement that athletic competition can provide. 
 
¶12. (SBU) The Spring Youth center is an ideal location for this 
program.  The physical grounds of the youth center are enclosed, 
allowing for control of participation and monitoring of visitors. 
While continuing high levels of programming, the grounds and 
equipment show signs of wear and decay.  After years of constant 
use, the basketball backboards and nets are on the verge of 
disintegration.  The soccer field, once green grass, is now a dusty 
pitch.  The youth center would truly notice and appreciate the small 
injection of funds, attention, and resources that preparing it for a 
series of events would require.  Small additions such as new 
goalposts and basketball hoops would go a long way in improving the 
facilities.  Most importantly, the Embassy has already successfully 
conducted outreach events to the center in the past and has a good 
working relationship with it.  Suheil Ghandour, an extremely active 
volunteer at the center, is extraordinarily pro-American, having 
spent a significant amount of time in the U.S.  The youth centers' 
leaders have good relations with local police and religious leaders 
and have enthusiastically recruited their participation as we have 
developed this proposal. 
 
¶13. (SBU) MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS: Numbers of youth directly 
participating, spectator attendance, media coverage, new 
relationships forged between law enforcement, religious leadership, 
community leaders, and political figures. 
 
¶14. (SBU) PLAN TO DISSEMINATE BEST PRACTICES, IF APPROPRIATE: 
Following the program, a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of 
the project will be conducted by the Embassy in coordination with 
the youth center. 
 
¶15. (SBU) Pictures of the youth center and a spreadsheet detailing 
the breakdown of estimated costs will be e-mailed to Emily Goldman 
(GoldmanEO@state.gov) and Aldray Aiken (AikenA@state.gov). 
 
FERNANDEZ