===================
> US embassy cables: Washington launches intelligence trawl in West Sahara
> states
> * guardian.co.uk, Sunday 28 November 2010 18.13 GMT
> * larger | smaller
>
> Thursday, 16 April 2009, 14:17
> S E C R E T STATE 037566
> NOFORN
> EO 12958 DECL: 04/16/2034
> TAGS PINR, KSPR, ECON, CD, CV, GA, ML, MR, NG, SG, UV
> SUBJECT: (S) REPORTING AND COLLECTION NEEDS: WEST AFRICA
> SAHEL REGION
> REF: A. 08 STATE 124337 B. 04 STATE 179667
> Classified By: CATHERINE BROWN, DAS IPC. REASON: 1.4(C).
> Summary
> 1. The state department is hungry for information on Burkina
> Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, The Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal. It
> wants to know about insurgencies, drug trafficking and standards of
> governance as well as detail about telecoms systems. Key passage highlighted
> in yellow.
>
> 2. Read related article
> 1. (S/NF) This cable provides the full text of the new National HUMINT
> Collection Directive (NHCD) on the West Africa Sahel region (paragraph
> 3-end) as well as a request for continued DOS reporting of biographic
> information relating to the West Africa Sahel region (paragraph 2).
> A. (S/NF) The NHCD below supercedes the NHCD contained in Ref B and reflects
> the results of a recent Washington review of reporting and collection needs
> focused on the West Africa Sahel region (Ref A). The review produced a
> comprehensive list of strategic priorities (paragraph 3) and reporting and
> collection needs (paragraph 4) intended to guide participating USG agencies
> as they allocate resources and update plans to collect information on the
> West Africa Sahel region. The priorities should also serve as a useful tool
> to help the Embassy manage reporting and collection, including formulation
> of Mission Strategic Plans (MSPs).
> B. (S/NF) This NHCD is compliant with the National Intelligence Priorities
> Framework (NIPF), which was established in response to NSPD-26 of February
> 24, 2003. If needed, GRPO can provide further background on the NIPF and the
> use of NIPF abbreviations (shown in parentheses following each sub-issue
> below) in NHCDs.
> C. (S/NF) Important information often is available to non-State members of
> the Country Team whose agencies participated in the review of this National
> HUMINT Collection Directive. COMs, DCMs, and State reporting officers can
> assist by coordinating with other Country Team members to encourage relevant
> reporting through their own or State Department channels.
> 2. (S/NF) State biographic reporting:
> A. (S/NF) The intelligence community relies on State reporting officers for
> much of the biographical information collected worldwide. Informal
> biographic reporting via email and other means is vital to the community's
> collection efforts and can be sent to the INR/B (Biographic) office for
> dissemination to the IC.
> B. (S/NF) Reporting officers should include as much of the following
> information as possible when they have information relating to persons
> linked to the West Africa Sahel region: office and organizational titles;
> names, position titles and other information on business cards; numbers of
> telephones, cell phones, pagers and faxes; compendia of contact information,
> such as telephone directories (in compact disc or electronic format if
> available) and e-mail listings; internet and intranet "handles", internet
> e-mail addresses, web site identification-URLs; credit card account numbers;
> frequent flyer account numbers; work schedules, and other relevant
> biographical information.
> 3. (S/NF) Priority issues and issues outline:
> This directive covers eight countries of Sahelian West Africa: Burkina Faso,
> Cape Verde, Chad, The Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal. The
> coastal countries to the south (Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone,
> Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin) are covered separately in
> the West Africa Littoral directive.
> I. Regional Issues
> A. Security 1) International Terrorism (TERR) 2) Response To Terrorism
> (TERR) 3) Military (FMCC) 4) Support for U.S. Military Contingency Planning
> (HREL) 5) Insurgent and Separatist Groups (SRCC) 6) Relations With The
> United States (FPOL) 7) Drug Trafficking (DRUG) 8) Peacekeeping (SRCC) 9)
> GRPO can provide text of this issue.
> B. Governance 1) Leadership (LEAD) 2) Government Stability and Support For
> Democracy (DEPS) 3) Human Rights (HRWC) 4) Political Opposition (DEPS)
> C. Socio-Economic Issues 1) Agriculture and Food Security (FOOD) 2) Foreign
> Aid and Relations (FPOL) 3) Criminal Activities (CRIM) 4) Health and
> Infectious Diseases (HLTH) 5) Population and Refugee Issues (DEMG) 6)
> Economic Institutions and Initiatives (ECFS) 7) Environmental Issues (ENVR)
> D. Information Systems and Telecommunications Infrastructure (INFR)
> II. Country-Specific Issues
> A. Chad: Sudan/Darfur Issues (SRCC-2)
> 4. (S/NF) Reporting and collection needs:
> I. Regional Issues
> A. Security
> 1) International Terrorism (TERR). -- Details, presence, and activities
> related to al-Qa'ida in the land of the Islamic Maghreb and other
> terrorist-related individuals and organizations. -- Plans and intentions for
> operations against U.S. or allied personnel or interests. -- Links to
> weapons of mass destruction or related materials. -- Presence and activities
> of fighters returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. -- Information on
> organizations, leadership, personnel, tradecraft, intelligence and
> counterintelligence capabilities, financing, front companies, recruitment,
> and training. -- Weapons and methodologies, particularly for improvised
> explosive devices. -- Details about local support networks, particularly for
> transshipments. -- Details about couriers operating in, or originating
> outside of, the region. -- Presence and activities of non-North African
> fighters in the region. -- Indications that international terrorist groups
> are seeking to take advantage of political, ethnic, tribal, or religious
> conflict. -- Health, biographic, biometric, and assessment information on
> leaders.
> NIPF Priority for TERR Chad: 1, Mali: 1, Mauritania: 1, Niger: 1
> NIPF Priority for Non-State Actors for TERR Al-Qa'ida and Sunni Affiliates:
> 1, Hizballah (Lebanese): 1, Jama'at Tablighi: 3
> HUMINT Priority for TERR Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H,
> Senegal: 5H
> 2) Response To Terrorism (TERR). -- Capability, willingness and intent of
> countries to cooperate with U.S. counterterrorism (CT) efforts and policies,
> and to conduct counterterrorist operations. -- Details about CT legislation,
> organizations, capabilities, equipment, operations, tactics, and
> limitations. -- Data regarding the impact of U.S. and multilateral economic
> sanctions -- Policies, attitudes, and actions regarding U.S. and other
> western CT training. -- Military and security forces' attitudes towards CT
> training and operations. -- Interaction and interoperability of security and
> military forces with foreign CT forces. -- Public attitudes towards CT
> policies and activities. -- Plans to deploy biometric systems to enhance
> domestic counterterrorism efforts.
> NIPF Priority for TERR Chad: 1, Mali: 1, Mauritania: 1, Niger: 1
> NIPF Priority for Non-State Actors for TERR Al-Qa'ida and Sunni Affiliates:
> 1, Hizballah (Lebanese): 1, Jama'at Tablighi: 3
> HUMINT Priority for TERR Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H,
> Senegal: 5H
> 3) Military (FMCC) -- Plans, intentions, status and details of the national
> defense policy and strategy. -- Military relations with other countries,
> including training exercises. -- Capabilities, disposition, vulnerabilities,
> and readiness of forces. -- Details about military personnel, units,
> equipment, and tactics. -- Plans and efforts regarding military reform,
> procurement, and modernization. -- Government cooperation regarding U.S.
> POW/MIAs and detained U.S. citizens. -- Evidence of coup plotting in
> military ranks. -- Evidence of criminal activity in military ranks and
> impact. -- Extent and effects of ethnic, religious, and political factions
> within the military. -- Public attitudes towards the military and other
> security forces. -- Details of covert arms acquisitions and arms sales.
> NIPF Priority for FMCC Chad: 3, Mali: 4, Mauritania: 4, Niger: 4, Senegal: 4
> HUMINT Priority for FMCC Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H
> 4) Support for U.S. Military Contingency Planning (HREL). -- Plans,
> intentions, and capability of host governments to support evacuation or
> humanitarian assistance by U.S. forces, including host nations' ability and
> willingness to protect U.S. citizens and/or facilities. -- Internal
> developments that could prompt U.S. contingency planning for Non-combatant
> Evacuation Operations (NEO) or humanitarian assistance. -- Host government's
> emergency management capabilities and points-of-contact. -- Details about
> infrastructure, medical facilities, and communication networks. --
> Geocoordinates and description of third-country diplomatic, humanitarian
> aid, and non-governmental organization (NGO) facilities. -- Evacuation
> routes, including official/unofficial checkpoints, chokepoints, and
> potential impediments.
> NIPF Priority for HREL Chad: 3, Niger: 5
> HUMINT Priority for HREL Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H,
> Mali: 5H, Mauritania: 5H, Senegal: 5H
> 5) Insurgent and Separatist Groups (SRCC). -- Plans, intentions, and
> capabilities of separatist, insurgent or radical opposition groups or
> organizations to influence or destabilize host country government. --
> Clandestine efforts to subvert peace accords and reconciliation efforts. --
> Plans and intentions relating to U.S. citizens and military personnel in the
> region. -- Leadership, organization, recruitment and training, tactics,
> sources of financing, and Command, Control, Communications, Computer, and
> Intelligence capabilities. -- Goals and attitudes toward peace accords and
> reconciliation efforts. -- Links to foreign governments and non-state actors
> in foreign countries. -- Public support for groups. -- Links to
> international terrorist groups. -- Health, biographic, biometric, and
> assessment information on leaders.
> NIPF Priority for SRCC Chad: 2
> HUMINT Priority for SRCC Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H,
> Mali: 4H, Mauritania: 5H, Niger: 4H, Senegal: 5H
> 6) Relations with the United States (FPOL). -- Plans and intentions of
> government and government leaders concerning relations with the United
> States, including plans and efforts to support or oppose U.S. policies and
> efforts in international fora. -- Decision-making, policies, plans,
> negotiating strategies, and efforts, particularly regarding Burkina Faso. --
> Impact of relations with China on relations with the United States. --
> Public opinion about U.S. actions in Africa, particularly regarding the U.S.
> Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation foreign
> aid program. -- Response to U.S. policies regarding the Sahel region, the
> Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and the global war on terror. --
> Impact of trade relations with India and Brazil on relations with the United
> States.
> HUMINT Priority for FPOL Burkina Faso: 3H, Cape Verde: 5H, Chad: 4H, The
> Gambia: 5H, Mali: 5H, Mauritania: 3H, Niger: 5H, Senegal: 4H
> 7) Drug Trafficking (DRUG). -- Government plans and intentions regarding
> drug production and trafficking. -- Use of transportation networks for drug
> production, trafficking, or storage. -- Details about types of drugs
> trafficked and associated transportation networks and seizures. -- Details
> about front companies, financial institutions, and money flow. -- Links to
> international terrorist groups. -- Links to drug producers outside of
> region, particularly Latin American cocaine cartels. -- Links to regional or
> international drug distribution networks. -- Law enforcement and judiciary
> capabilities to combat drug trafficking and production. -- Drug traffickers'
> efforts to corrupt or undermine law enforcement and government. -- Presence,
> use, or transshipment of precursor chemicals and associated equipment for
> drug production. -- Information about terrorist or insurgent groups' income
> derived from the drug trade, including drug types and quantities. --
> Information on impact of drug trafficking and use, particularly on public
> health and crime, and supporting internal statistics.
> NIPF Priority for DRUG Senegal: 5
> HUMINT Priority for DRUG Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 4H, Chad: 5H, The
> Gambia: 5H, Mali: 5H, Mauritania: 3H, Niger: 5H
> 8) Peacekeeping (SRCC). -- Governments' plans and intentions to participate
> in or support peacekeeping operations and funding allocated/spent. --
> Military and security forces' willingness and capability to train with other
> nations and participate in peacekeeping operations, and details of
> peacekeeping experience. -- Military and security forces' capabilities and
> willingness to accept international military assistance and joint training.
> -- Perception of troops' performance during peacekeeping operations.
> NIPF Priority for SRCC Chad: 2
> HUMINT Priority for SRCC Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H,
> Mali: 4H, Mauritania: 5H, Niger: 5H, Senegal: 5H
> 9) GRPO can provide text of this issue and related requirements.
> B. Governance
> 1) Leadership (LEAD). -- Key issues of concern to national and opposition
> leadership, particularly dynamics and decision-making processes of key
> civilian and military officials and of ruling political parties, including
> coup plotting. -- Attitude toward political opposition. -- Personal
> financial resources, financial institutions used, and personal
> relationships. -- Biographic data, including opinions about the United
> States.
> HUMINT Priority for LEAD Burkina Faso: 3H, Cape Verde: 5H, Chad: 3H, The
> Gambia: 5H, Mali: 5H, Mauritania: 3H, Niger: 5H, Senegal: 4H
> 2) Government Stability and Support For Democracy (DEPS). -- Internal or
> external threats to government stability, democracy, or rule of law,
> including government efforts to address these threats. -- Government control
> over national territory and borders, including areas where government
> authority is weak or absent. -- Commitment to representative government and
> democratic reforms, particularly during election cycle. -- Laws, policies,
> and prospects for political succession and elections. -- Details on
> corruption and anti-corruption measures. -- Drivers of, and responses to,
> political instability or economic deterioration. -- Details on
> administrative, judicial, and legislative organs and related
> decision-making. -- Signs of ethnic, religious, or generational polarization
> and impact on decision-making. -- Political and social infrastructure
> development in remote regions.
> NIPF Priority for DEPS Chad: 4, Mauritania: 5, Senegal: 5
> HUMINT Priority for DEPS Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H,
> Mali: 5H, Niger: 5H
> 3) Human Rights (HRWC). -- Details of human rights abuses by intelligence
> and security services, military, paramilitary, police, or other officials,
> or by insurgent, separatist, or other groups. -- Details of government
> efforts and capability to prevent or respond to abuses. -- Government
> reaction to foreign and domestic criticism of alleged human rights abuses.
> -- Details of alleged disenfranchisement or enslavement of individuals or
> groups, including government complicity or inaction. -- Government
> relationship with international peacekeeping and aid organizations.
> NIPF Priority for HRWC Chad: 2, Mauritania: 5, Niger: 5
> HUMINT Priority for HRWC Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 4H,
> Mali: 5H, Senegal: 5H
> 4) Political Opposition (DEPS). -- Plans, intentions, and role of opposition
> parties in political system, including intention to use extra-legal means to
> depose government. -- Activities, plans, intentions, and sources of funding
> and support. -- Leadership, organization, agendas, membership, and level of
> influence. -- Plans and intentions related to the election cycle. --
> Alliances, factions, and evidence of links to foreign governments or
> insurgent/separatist groups. -- Opinions of ethnic, religious, and other
> population groups towards the government and political opposition.
> NIPF Priority for DEPS Chad: 4, Mauritania: 5, Senegal: 5
> HUMINT Priority for DEPS Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H,
> Mali: 5H, Niger: 5H
> C. Socio-Economic Issues
> 1) Agriculture and Food Security (FOOD). -- Government plans and actions
> regarding agricultural output, food security, and food safety. --
> Willingness to cooperate with U.N. and other donor agencies on food-related
> issues. -- Details about food prices and food trade and public reaction to
> increasing food prices. -- Indications of environmental factors affecting
> agricultural output. -- Government policies and initiatives to increase
> agricultural producer income. -- Status of, and prospects for, cash and
> subsistence crops. -- Indications of invasive species affecting food
> security or development. -- Details about manipulation of food aid by
> government or warlords to enhance power.
> NIPF Priority for FOOD Chad: 5
> HUMINT Priority for FOOD Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H,
> Mali: 5H, Mauritania: 5H, Niger: 5H, Senegal: 5H
> 2) Foreign Aid and Relations (FPOL). -- Governments' and leaders' views on
> foreign nations and international organizations, particularly China, Iran,
> and India. -- Foreign alliances, aid, and activities, including those
> withheld from public view. -- Details on international trade issues and
> economic assistance needs and requests. -- Governments' actions and
> intentions regarding existing U.S. Status of Forces Agreements and the Rome
> Convention's International Criminal Court (Article 98).
> HUMINT Priority for FPOL Burkina Faso: 3H, Cape Verde: 5H, Chad: 4H, The
> Gambia: 5H, Mali: 5H, Mauritania: 5H, Niger: 5H, Senegal: 4H
> 3) Criminal Activities (CRIM). -- Details of corruption and cross-border
> criminal activity, including weapons trafficking, human trafficking, alien
> smuggling, illicit finance, and cigarette smuggling. -- Government and law
> enforcement plans and intentions to combat criminal activity. --
> Organizations, activities, methodologies, alliances, and vulnerabilities. --
> Cooperation with terrorist or insurgent groups. -- Key investors,
> facilitators, beneficiaries, and corrupt officials.
> HUMINT Priority for CRIM Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 4H, Chad: 5H, The
> Gambia: 5H, Mali: 4H, Mauritania: 3H, Niger: 4H, Senegal: 5H
> 4) Health and Infectious Diseases (HLTH). -- Details of infectious diseases
> and general health conditions, including number of cases, percentage of
> population affected, fatalities, dates, areas of occurrence, and impact. --
> Government policies, plans, and efforts for disease prevention and
> identification. -- Nutrition-related health of population, including
> refugees. -- Vaccination practices, capabilities, and response related to
> drug-resistant and Emerging and Re-Emerging Diseases, particularly polio and
> tuberculosis. -- Effect of HIV/AIDS or other diseases on military,
> government, or economic performance. -- Public attitudes towards disease
> prevention and treatment programs. -- Indications of infectious plant,
> animal, or zoonotic diseases (animal to human transmission) with potential
> economic or public health consequences. -- Details about contaminated food,
> water, air, and soil. -- Information on medical facilities, including
> capabilities and training.
> NIPF Priority for HLTH Chad: 4
> HUMINT Priority for HLTH Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H,
> Mali: 5H, Mauritania: 5H, Niger: 5H, Senegal: 5H
> 5) Population and Refugee Issues (DEMG). -- Population movements in the
> region, and governments' involvement and response. -- Indications of actual
> or potential refugee movements within or into the region. -- Locations and
> conditions of refugee camps and informal refugee and internally displaced
> persons (IDP) gathering sites and transit routes. -- Government capability
> and willingness to assist refugees and IDPs. -- Health and demographic
> statistics of refugees and IDPs. -- Dynamics and impact of migration and
> demographic shifts. -- Efforts to repatriate refugees.
> NIPF Priority for DEMG Chad: 3, Mali: 4, Mauritania: 4, Niger: 4
> HUMINT Priority for DEMG Burkina Faso: 4H, Cape Verde: 4H, The Gambia: 4H,
> Senegal: 4H
> 6) Economic Institutions and Initiatives (ECFS). -- Policies, strategies,
> and efforts to improve economic growth. -- Leadership views on economic,
> trade, and fiscal policies and regulatory enforcement. -- Identities and
> roles of governments' economic policy-making and regulatory
> bodies/officials. -- Macroeconomic statistics regarding trade, budget,
> balance of payments, and national economies, including reliability or
> manipulation of data. -- Public perception of economic conditions, including
> youth employment prospects. -- Nature and extent of underground banking
> systems. -- Details on economic assistance needs and partnerships, and
> effectiveness of aid. -- Financial data transmission systems and accounting
> methods. -- Details of natural resource development activities, including
> financing.
> HUMINT Priority for ECFS Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, Chad: 5H, The
> Gambia: 5H, Mali: 5H, Mauritania: 4H, Niger: 5H, Senegal: 5H
> 7) Environmental Issues (ENVR). -- Details of plans and efforts by
> governments, NGOs, and others to combat deforestation and desertification,
> including the Great Green Wall project. -- Governments' willingness and
> ability to manage exploitation of natural resources and respond to natural
> and man-made environmental disasters. -- Capability and willingness to
> protect nearby sea lanes, and fishing grounds and other Exclusive Economic
> Zone claims. -- Negotiating positions at international environmental
> meetings. -- Government and public perceptions regarding environmental
> issues.
> NIPF Priority for ENVR Niger: 5
> HUMINT Priority for ENVR Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, Chad: 4H, The
> Gambia: 5H, Mali: 5H, Mauritania: 5H, Senegal: 5H
> D. Information Systems and Telecommunications Infrastructure (INFR).
> -- Current specifications, vulnerabilities, capabilities, and planned
> upgrades to, national telecommunications infrastructure and information
> systems, command and control systems, networks, and technologies used by
> government, military, and private sector. -- National leadership use of, and
> dependencies on, dedicated telecommunications infrastructures and
> information systems. -- Details about national and regional
> telecommunications policies, programs, regulations, service providers,
> vendors, and training. -- Details about internet and intranet use,
> infrastructure, and government oversight. -- Plans and efforts to acquire
> U.S. export-controlled telecommunications technology. -- Details about
> information repositories for Radio Frequency Identification-enabled systems
> used for passports, government badges, and transportation systems. --
> Official and personal phone numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses of
> principal civilian and military leaders.
> NIPF Priority for INFR Chad: 4
> HUMINT Priority for INFR Burkina Faso: 5H, Cape Verde: 5H, The Gambia: 5H,
> Mali: 5H, Mauritania: 5H, Niger: 5H, Senegal: 5H
> II. Country-Specific Issues
> A. Chad: Sudan/Darfur Issues (SRCC-2).
> -- Details about Sudanese-backed insurgency in Chad and Chadian-backed
> insurgency in Sudan and related population movements. -- Indications of
> actual or potential refugee or IDP movements, especially Sudanese and
> Central African Republic refugees. -- Human rights abuses against refugees
> currently located in Chad. -- Government's political will and intention to
> engage Sudanese-backed separatists. -- Military capability to combat
> Sudanese-backed separatists. -- Role of international institutions in
> stabilizing domestic uprising. -- Details about Chadian insurgents'
> relationship with the Government of Sudan. -- Details about the government's
> relationship with Sudanese insurgents in Darfur. -- Presence or activities
> of international terrorist groups in insurgencies.
> CLINTON
> * guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2010
>
> --
>
> Toyin Falola
> Department of History
> The University of Texas at Austin
> 1 University Station
> Austin, TX 78712-0220
> USA
> 512 475 7224
> 512 475 7222 (fax)
> http://www.toyinfalola.com/
> www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa
> http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs
> http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa
> Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
> For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
> For previous archives, visit
> http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
> To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
> unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
No comments:
Post a Comment