VZCZCXRO8063
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #0805/01 1140955
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 240955Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9286
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
RUZEFAA/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NAIROBI 000805 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND ACTING A/S CARTER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM SO
 
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - Targeted Killings of Prominent Leaders 
 
REF: Nairobi 784 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  The last month has marked a surge in 
assassinations and attacks targeting prominent members of the 
Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and leaders associated with 
the TFG in Mogadishu.  By targeting prominent persons engaged in 
peace and reconciliation efforts and those trying to expand the TFG 
support base in Mogadishu, the killings have turned public sentiment 
against al-Shabaab.  Sources in the capital confirm that kinsmen of 
the targeted persons are used to carry out the killings in order to 
minimize clan reprisals against al-Shabaab.   The government and 
clan elders have identified al-Shabaab as being behind the attacks, 
though al-Shabaab leaders deny involvement.  Al-Shabaab reportedly 
deployed a dozen well-trained hit men to eliminate a long list of 
prominent persons.  Religious leaders, clan elders and TFG figures, 
especially those formerly allied with the Union of Islamic Courts 
(UIC), condemned al-Shabaab's continued violence and encouraged 
community-based security efforts to counter the   attacks.  Some 
believe these targeted attacks among former UIC allies will lead to 
violent confrontation between militias loyal to the TFG and those 
loyal to al-Shabaab and other anti-government groups.  End summary. 
 
------------------------------- 
Targeted Violence in Mogadishu, 
Limiting Outreach 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The last month has marked a surge in attacks targeting 
prominent members of the government and leaders associated with the 
TFG in Mogadishu.  Sources in the capital confirm that kinsmen of 
the targeted person are used to carry out the killings to minimize 
clan reprisals against al-Shabaab, who government and clan elders 
have identified as being behind the attacks.  Al-Shabaab leaders 
deny involvement.  Al-Shabaab reportedly deployed a dozen 
well-trained hit men to eliminate a long list of prominent persons 
who are helping the TFG gain momentum and peel off the al-Shabaab 
support base.  Since the end of March, a series of violent attacks 
have rocked the confidence of officials in Mogadishu, many of whom 
now limit their movements solely between their homes and offices. 
Parliamentarians have told us they are "living in fear because 
everyone knows there is price on our heads."  They acknowledged that 
their outreach efforts have been constrained by the threats. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On April 22, President Sharif said all those killed were 
personally known to him.  "They were courageous men who sacrificed 
for their country and they were working for peace," he said. 
President Sharif said killing these people will never take anyone to 
paradise.  "If you want paradise, go to the mosques, pray, read the 
Quran and assist the people," he said.  By showing restraint against 
violent provocations, the government wanted Somalis to be clear who 
were the trouble makers, Sharif declared.  The TFG President said 
the government will soon protect its people and appealed to Somalis 
to support the government against perpetrators of violence. 
(Comment: Sharif never specifically named al-Shabaab as the 
perpetrator of the violence, but most Somalis recognized his 
reference to the group.) 
 
---------------------------- 
Assassinating Peace-builders 
---------------------------- 
¶4.  (SBU) On March 30, unidentified gunmen killed Abdirahman Mohamud 
Jimale "Shifti" (Hawiye/Abgaal) the spokesman of the 2007 National 
Reconciliation Conference.   Gunmen initially exchanged fire with 
TFG militia guarding the Deputy Mayor of Mogadishu.  The gunmen then 
stopped Shifti's car and opened fire, killing him immediately.  Two 
of Shifti's guards were also killed, and another wounded.  Shifti 
was a prominent Somali politician and as spokesman for the NRC, he 
was a close Embassy contact during the Mogadishu-based 
reconciliation conference.  Before his death Shifti has been working 
closely with TFG Prime Minister Sharmarke on peace-building and 
reconciliation efforts.  The Prime Minister told us he suspects 
Shifti was directly targeted for his peace efforts. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On April 15, suspected members of an al-Shabaab hit squad 
killed Abdullahi Isse Abtidon (Hawiye/Duduble), a Member of 
Parliament who was also actively involved in outreach efforts. 
Abtidon was shot while standing outside the Mogadishu Coca Cola 
Company where he also served as an administrator.  Abtidon was a 
prominent religious leader in Mogadishu and served as assistant to 
President Sharif while he was UIC chairman.   The Prime Minister 
 
NAIROBI 00000805  002 OF 003 
 
 
told us Abtidon has been working with him as an interlocutor, using 
his influence with former Islamic Court officials to reach out to 
hard-line Islamists opposed to the TFG.  Our contacts told us that 
Duduble clan members and close relatives in al-Shabaab conspired to 
kill him, in order to prevent clan reprisals.  In a recent meeting 
with the Ambassador (reftel), Sharmarke lamented that Abtidon was 
the second person to be killed in his office in the last two weeks. 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) On April 16, suspected al-Shabaab militia killed Sharif 
Mohamed "Kariye" (Hawiye/Habar Gedir/Saleebaan) after an exchange of 
fire with his guards.  To avenge the killing, former UIC militia now 
allied with the TFG reportedly attacked three al-Shabaab positions, 
killing three and wounding several others.  Mukhtar Robow confirmed 
the attack on the al-Shabaab militia but   denied that al-Shabaab is 
behind the killing.  In his statement, Robow spoke out against 
Islamists fighting against one another, arguing that they were "all 
on the same team." 
 
¶7.  (SBU) On April 20, unknown assailants gunned down a female 
civilian officer working for the Minister of National Security at 
Mogadishu airport.  The officer was killed on her way to work. 
Minister of Security Omar Hashi told us al-Shabaab is behind the 
killing. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) On April 21, unidentified gunmen killed Mohamed Mohamud 
Jimale "Agaweyne" (Hawiye/Habar Gedir/ Sa'ad) in a coffee shop at 
Talex junction in Mogadishu's Hodan district.  Jimale joint Sharif 
in the Djibouti Process and served as a member of the Joint Security 
Committee.  One of President Sharif's assistants told us Jimale was 
highly regarded within ARS circles and was a trusted ally of 
president Sharif.  He served as Chairman of al-Furqan Courts and in 
2006 was one of the senior commanders of UIC militia in the central 
region.  In early January when Ethiopian forces were withdrawing 
from Mogadishu Jimale addressed a press conference expressing 
optimism and encouraged armed groups to work for peace.  At the time 
of his death, Jimale was leading efforts to woo Habar Gedir militia 
from al-Shabaab to join the TFG. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Unsuccessful Assassination Attempts 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) On March 26, TFG Minister of Interior Abdikadir Ali Omar 
(Hawiye/Habar Gedir/Saleebaan) survived a roadside bomb where his 
assistant was killed and one of his guards wounded.  A former UIC 
leader, Ali has been instrumental in the TFG strategy to reach out 
and convince militia leaders and more fundamentalist Islamists to 
join the new administration.  Ali is credited for bringing his close 
associate Yusuf Mohamed "Indha'Adde" to the side of the TFG. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) On April 1, unidentified gun men seriously wounded Member 
of Parliament Amir Shakete (minority clan/Rer Hamar) after opening 
fire on his vehicle.  One person accompanying the lawmaker was 
killed the attack. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) On April 20, Ahmed Diriye (Hawiye/Habar Gedir/Saleebaan), 
spokesman for the Hawiye Traditional Unity Council (HTUC), survived 
an assassination attempt.  Assailants followed Diriye's car from 
Bakara market and opening fire.  His guards returned fire and the 
assailants eventually retreated.  Diriye told us he is certain 
al-Shabaab was behind the attack.  Diriye said he received 
information that 16 persons (11 from other regions and five from 
Mogadishu) were hired to identify him and were deployed in Bakara 
market with firm instructions to assassinate him and five other 
Mogadishu-based elders.  Diriye accused al-Shabaab of targeting the 
elders to stop their peace efforts in Mogadishu.  He said, "They 
publicly accuse us of being secretly appointed as TFG MPs and that 
we are paid for our support to the government."  While Diriye and 
others have not stopped his outreach efforts he opined, "We have 
called them to peace but we do not expect al-Shabaab to stop 
violence, let alone accept the government." 
 
------------------------- 
Hawiye Elders Strike Back 
------------------------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Following the assassination attempt on Diriye, HTUC 
called on Mogadishu residents to form neighborhood security patrols 
to combat al-Shabaab.  At a press conference in Mogadishu, Mohamed 
 
NAIROBI 00000805  003 OF 003 
 
 
Hassan Haad (Hawiye/Murasade), HTUC chairman urged residents to 
stand up against agents of violence and secure their neighborhoods. 
Haad condemned the recent surge in targeted killings and called on 
residents to maintain security.  He said Islamic Sharia should be 
used while dealing with security violators.  (Note: The practice of 
using Sharia law to combat violence was briefly employed in 
February-March 2007 in parts of Mogadishu and was initially 
effective.  However, it quickly faced resistance from the TFG and 
anti-government groups.  The TFG has not announced how it will react 
to these new measures).   On April 6, PM Sharmarke urged Mogadishu 
residents to rise up against troublemakers.  He said people should 
"not to hold their hands behind their backs" when innocent people 
are being killed. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Immediately after Kariye was assassinated, Abdirahim Isse 
Adow (Hawiye/Abgal), former UIC spokesman now allied with TFG, 
blamed al-Shabaab for the killing.  Adow public stated that 
al-Shabaab has assigned a hit squad to assassinate prominent people 
in the society who "it believes are opposed to its distorted and 
cruel ideology."  He told the media that "al-Shabaab hatched a plan 
to eliminate anybody who they suspect or believe has knowledge of 
its violent tricks and tactics."   Adow threatened dire consequences 
against al-Shabaab.  Adow remains highly influential within the 
Hawiye clan and strongly supports Shirif and his administration. 
 
------------------------ 
Raising Public Sentiment 
Against al-shabaab 
------------------------ 
 
¶14.  (SBU) On April 22, Speaker of Parliament Adan Mohamed Nur 
"Madobe" fiercely condemned al-Shabaab at a press conference in 
Mogadishu.  Speaker Madobe dismissed al-Shabaab as "a bunch of 
misguided Somali youths operating under foreigners' instructions." 
He lamented that al-Shabaab has brought to Somalia "foreigners of 
all colors, black and white" to cause sufferings to innocent 
Somalis.  Madobe stated "by casting aspersions on parliament's 
recent decision on Islamic Sharia law, al-Shabaab has clearly 
indicated that it is only serving foreign interests within Somalia." 
 Madobe continued by stating that al-Shabaab's "perverted ideology" 
paints our religion in negative light to the outside world as a 
religion of violence against humanity.  Madobe called al-Shabaab "a 
liability to Islam and Muslims." 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶15.  (SBU) Madobe's castigation of al-Shabaab is the first public 
recrimination of the group by a senior TFG leader in Sharif's 
administration.  His remarks were met with great support by 
Mogadishu residents terrorized by al-Shabaab's violent targeting of 
respected community leaders.  While some MPs have told us they no 
longer leave their homes for fear of being killed, Madobe said that 
al-Shabaab will not stand in the way of parliament's work.  While 
TFG security forces do not have the training or equipment to 
adequately protect its officials against attack, many still engage 
private militias who are filling this void.  This most recent surge 
in killings has turned public sentiment strongly against al-Shabaab. 
 At the same time, residents in the capital remain fearful that they 
might become the next victim.  The district-based security efforts 
that Hawiye clan elders have initiated may have some successes, as 
they did in the past.  Sustaining these community-based efforts will 
require support by the government and would be an opportunity for 
the international community to help these fledging efforts against 
al-Shabaab. 
 
RANNEBERGER