VZCZCXRO7221
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0076/01 0281637
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 281637Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3400
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 CONAKRY 000076 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM EINV PREL BIOS KIPR GV
SUBJECT: ARRESTS, APPOINTMENTS, AND MACHINATIONS: A 
POLITICAL ROUNDUP FOR 19-26 JANUARY 
 
CONAKRY 00000076  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED FOR AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 
 
REF: A. 08 CONAKRY 776 
     ¶B. CONAKRY 064 
     ¶C. CONAKRY 070 
 
Classified By: ECONOFF T. SCOTT BROWN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY. Politics in Guinea continue to be fluid since 
the coup d'etat on 23 December 2008.  Given these 
circumstances, post will transmit as needed roundups of 
presidential appointments, military arrests, and any other 
political machinations.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------------- 
"THERE IS NO LAW IN CONAKRY" 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Spanish Ambassador told Charge that military 
officials recently arrested four Spanish businessmen who 
claimed to be in Conakry to purchase gold.  The Ambassador 
said the military suspected the Spaniards of being Latin 
American narcotics traffickers, even though the men stated 
that they have frequently traveled to Guinea in the past to 
buy gold.  Soldiers took the men to Camp Alpha Yaya.  When 
the Spanish Ambassador requested a consular visit at the 
camp, a guard refused the request, saying: "Since the coup, 
the constitution is suspended.  There is no law in Conakry." 
Two of the men were subsequently released after having been 
denied food for over 48 hours; two are still in custody. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The British Ambassador told Charge that military 
officials helicoptered to a gold mining camp near Siguri in 
Upper Guinea and demanded that the camp turn over all their 
stores of gold for an audit.  When the mining officials in 
charge of the vault refused, the soldiers arrested them and 
took them to Conakry "to speak with the president."  A CNDD 
spokesperson later said that the raid was part of an ongoing 
investigation of the unnamed company, but did not say if the 
military had released the detainees. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
ARMY HOLDS TELECOM COMPANY OFFICIALS FOR RANSOM 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶4. (C) On 20 January 2008, soldiers arrested an Israeli 
businessman from the headquarters of the American 
telecommunications company Cellcom.  According to a contact 
close to DATT, the soldiers claimed that they were sent by 
the Minister Secretary General of the Presidency, Major 
Keletigui Faro. The soldiers arrested the company's CFO, Mr. 
Shai Arbas, without explaining the charges against him. 
Contact stated that he thought that the incident was likely 
initiated by a former Cellcom employee who had a grievance 
against Arbas. 
 
¶5. (C) Though the military later returned Arbas to his 
company headquarters after he agreed to unstated military 
demands, soldiers again raided Cellcom on 22 January when the 
company did not comply.  During the raid, Minister of 
Security Toto Camara arrived on the scene and ordered the 
soldiers to depart, which they did.  At a later meeting, 
Executive Director of Cellcom Avi Zeidenberg told Charge that 
the dispute concerned unpaid severance wages owed to several 
former Cellcom employees.  DCM raised this issue with the 
prime minister on 23 January, and made clear the U.S. views 
this type of activity by the military as unacceptable.  The 
PM apologized for the raids, and promised to issue a 
statement threatening disciplinary action on any soldier who 
takes part in such activity (ref C). 
 
¶6. (C) In a related but separate incident, a contact told 
DATT that soldiers detained a Franco-Senegalese director of 
telecommunications company Intercel on 19 January.  Contact 
said the arrest involved a dispute over funds owed to the 
government, and reported that the company paid approximately 
$600,000 by check for his release.  Soldiers reportedly held 
the employee for a day at Camp Alpha Yaya so that the check 
could clear at the Central Bank, and then released him 
sometime on 21 January. 
 
------------------------------- 
COCA-COLA REPS ALSO SHAKEN DOWN 
------------------------------- 
 
CONAKRY 00000076  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶7. (C) On 26 January, military officials arrested several 
directors of Bonagui Corp., a subsidiary of Coca-Cola, after 
an employee told police that he had been wrongfully 
terminated several days earlier.  Heavily armed soldiers 
appeared in the company's office and requested that the 
General Manager, Financial Manager, and Human Resources 
Manager accompany them to Camp Alpha Yaya.  After 
interrogating the company officials for several hours, the 
soldiers finally released them without making a final 
assessment of the case. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
SUMMONSES ISSUED AS AUDIT COMMITTEE BEGINS WORK 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶8. (U) Over the past two weeks, an audit committee began 
spearheading investigations into a variety of alleged 
misdeeds by political power players and other well known 
economic actors.  Minister of Defense Sekouba Konate heads 
the committee, which is composed of both of soldiers and 
civilians.  At their behest, military officials detained and 
escorted the following individuals and groups to Camp Alpha 
Yaya, reportedly to justify their outstanding balances with 
the Central Bank of Guinea or alleged misuse of funds. 
 
-- Mamadou Sylla, controversial tycoon with close ties to 
late President Conte - $22 milllion in overcharges and 
additional GNF 16 billion ($3.3 million) in irregular Central 
Bank withdrawals. 
 
-- Managing Director of the Guinean electric utility EDG - 
GNF 6 billion ($1.25 million) for irregular loans from the 
bank BNP Paribas. 
 
-- Idrissa Thiam, former Protocol Director at the Presidency 
- $40 million in missing funds donated by Kuwait.  According 
to a contact, Thiam had originally not planned to honor the 
CNDD summons; however, military officials arrested one of 
Thiam's sisters, whom the CNDD released when Thiam presented 
himself at the camp. 
 
-- Managing Director of Rusal, the Russian mining giant - GNF 
67 billion ($13.9 million) in funds owed to the state. 
 
-- Alseny Barry, sugar importer with close ties to former 
Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate, and Mamady Kourouma, rice 
importer - $14 million for irregular loans from the bank BNP 
Paribas. 
 
-- Baidy Aribot, ex-Minister of Youth and Sport - 
mismanagement of GNF 70 billion ($14.5 million) in funds for 
the 2008 African Nations Cup in Accra. 
 
-- Ousmane Dore, former Minister of Finance - mismanagement 
of GNF 25 billion ($5.2 million) for Guinea's 50th 
Anniversary of Independence celebration. 
 
-- Abdoul Aziz Soumah, former official at the Islamic League, 
and Sekouba Conde - GNF 9.7 million ($2 million) in missing 
funds associated with the 2006 hadj. 
 
-- Several business owners connected to the International 
Bank for Africa in Guinea (Banque Internationale pour 
l'Afrique en Guinee - BIAG), including Mamadou Sylla and the 
owners of the large Conakry supermarket SuperBobo - GNF 17 
billion ($3.5 million) of mishandled funds connected to the 
bankruptcy of the bank. 
 
-- Board of Directors of the Alumina Company of Guinea (ACG) 
- GNF 67 billion ($13.9 million) in mishandled funds. 
 
-- Adinand Aboukhalil, the Lebanese owner of lottery firm 
Lonagui-PMU Guinee - GNF 4 billion ($833,000) in overdue 
taxes and fees. 
 
-- Elhadj Gale Hann, transport and fuel magnate - GNF 1.7 
billion ($354,000) in missing funds. 
 
-- Sylla Mariador, hotel owner; Guelguedji Barry, sugar and 
rice importer; and Alpha Amadou Diallo, rice importer - GNF 
17 billion ($3.5 million) 
 
¶9. (SBU) As of 27 January, most of the individuals summoned 
 
CONAKRY 00000076  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
had been released pending further investigation.  The CNDD 
announced that charges had been dropped against Dr. Ousmane 
Dore, Baidy Aribot, and all involved in the BIAG affair. 
Idrissa Thiam is still in custody at Camp Alpha Yaya. 
 
------------------------------------ 
CHINESE DRUG COUNTERFEITERS ARRESTED 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶10. (U) On 21 January, military officials announced the 
arrest of three Chinese charged with peddling fake, 
French-branded pharmaceuticals.  The men reportedly 
manufactured the drugs using flour as a primary ingredient. 
A CNDD spokesperson said that an investigation into the 
matter is currently pending (ref C). 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
RIO TINTO AND BSRG ORDERED TO HALT OPERATIONS 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (S) On 20 January, the CNDD ordered mining giant Rio 
Tinto and rival mining company Benny Steinmentz Resource 
Group (BSRG) to halt all operations on the disputed Simandou 
claim in southeastern Guinea.  During the late President 
Conte's administration, the GoG had revoked Rio Tinto's 
rights to the Simandou claim.  Rio alleged that corrupt 
practices by BSRG had led to the revocation (ref A). 
According to sources, an audit commission will investigate 
the rival claims and make a determination in the matter, 
though the CNDD has not announced a timetable for a final 
decision. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
NEW MINISTER OF MINES SAYS CONTRACTS WILL NOT BE REVISED 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶12. (U) On 21 January, new Minister of Mines Mahmoud Thiam 
announced that the military junta would not revise any mining 
contracts currently in force.  This statement apparently 
contradicts a previous presidential pronouncement vowing a 
thorough audit and potential revision of mining agreements 
between the state and private stakeholders.  Taking many 
observers by surprise, the minister said that contracts would 
only be reviewed for compliance, as "Guinea is a state that 
signed contracts which carry the force of law between the 
signatories."  (NOTE: In the days following the announcement, 
Embassy has received no information that the junta reversed 
this decision.  END NOTE.) 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
LIBYA DONATES GENERATORS AS KOUYATE RETURNS TO CONAKRY 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶13. (S) Libya recently donated two large electrical 
generators, each with a 640 KW generating capacity, to the 
CNDD, along with the cargo aircraft that was used to 
transport them.  The generators are reportedly worth $2 
million each.  Press sources speculated that the generators 
would be used to provide power to the outer suburbs of 
Conakry.  A DATT contact tied the arrival of the generators 
to the return of former Prime Minister Lansana Kouayte, who 
might claim credit for securing the generators, and use the 
resulting boost in his popularity to reenter the political 
fray (ref B). 
 
-------------------------- 
APPOINTMENTS AND BIO NOTES 
-------------------------- 
 
¶14. (U) Minister of Mines - Mahmoud Thiam.  Thiam is a 
Guinean expatriate who left Guinea when he was approximately 
two years old after his father was detained at the infamous 
Camp Boiro prison.  Raised in France and Belgium, Thiam later 
studied at Cornell.  He pursued a career in investment 
banking at Merrill Lynch before accepting a position at UBS 
in New York, where he was eventually promoted to the rank of 
vice president.  He is reportedly highly skilled in financial 
matters, and apparently obtained his appointment due to his 
professional relationship with Prime Minister Kabine Komara. 
Thiam has spent almost all of his life outside Guinea.  He is 
married with two or three children. 
 
¶15. (C) Head of Mining Funds (Fonds Minier) - Laye Keira. 
Keira, a Malinke, is is the half-brother of notorious 
 
CONAKRY 00000076  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
hardliner and former Minister Secretary General for the 
Presidency Alpha Ibrahima Keira.  Laye Keira replaced Tidiane 
Diallo, a Puehl who worked for many years at the USAID 
Mission in Conakry.  Keira is reportedly close to former 
Finance Miniser Ibrahima Kassory Fofana.  (COMMENT: While 
officially the Fonds Minier is a public body that supports 
geological research and finances the Ministry of Mines thanks 
to annual payments of $5 million from CBG, it has in the past 
been used as a private slush fund for the Minister of Mines 
and other public officials. END COMMENT.) 
 
¶16. (U) Minister of Pre-University Education - Kaba Rougui 
Barry.  A Puehl, Barry is a well respected political figure 
and one of the most prominent female politicians in Guinea. 
Barry became a force in politics at 53 years old when she was 
elected mayor of Conakry's Matam district, and was the first 
woman to hold a mayorship after the GoG legalized political 
parties in 1990.  Her reelection in 1996 reportedly irritated 
President Conte, who attempted to block her from taking 
office. In 2001, Barry joined the opposition Union of 
Republican Forces (UFR) party, but only after the GoG passed 
a law requiring mayoral candidates to join political parties. 
 In March 2004, she was arrested and imprisoned for 44 days 
after being accused of plotting a coup.  After leaving 
office, she founded her own humanitarian NGO, and is 
perceived as outspoken on the social and political future of 
the country.  In November 2008, she told the press that she 
might run for president.  Her nomination replaces the 
previous minister of pre-university education, Hadja Aisha 
Bah, who had been appointed by the CNDD on 14 January. 
 
¶17. (SBU) Minister of State Monitoring - Al-Hassan Onipogui. 
Onipogui, a Forestier from Macenta, is a former inspector 
general for mines (1992-1996) and reportedly very close to 
Dadis Camara.  In this role, Onipogui will monitor various 
states that the government holds in mining companies such as 
CBG.  Prior to joining the government, Onipogui had planned 
to start a mining consultancy after he learned that he had 
not been chosen as Minister of Mines.  A fawning press 
article recently described him as "...one of the new class of 
patriotic intellectuals who have integrity and are 
incorruptible."  He has studied abroad in Canada, France, and 
Morocco. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶18. (C) Outwardly, the military junta appears to be making 
good on its promises to "clean up Guinea," but the CNDD's 
tactics raise significant human rights concerns.  Recent 
events suggest that soldiers plan to use the ongoing audits 
as justification for harassment, kidnapping, and financial 
shakedowns.  Recent appointments seem to have come from a 
variety of rival factions, supporting previous reports that 
the CNDD remains internally divided, with players promoting 
individual interests over a common vision for moving the 
country forward.  END COMMENT. 
RASPOLIC