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bismi-lLahi-rRahmani-rRahiem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
=== News Update ===
US accused of covert operations in Somalia
Antony Barnett and Patrick Smith
Sunday September 10, 2006
Observer
Emails suggest that the CIA knew of plans by private military companies to
breach UN rules
Dramatic evidence that America is involved in illegal mercenary operations
in east Africa has emerged in a string of confidential emails seen by The
Observer. The leaked communications between US private military companies
suggest the CIA had knowledge of the plans to run covert military
operations inside Somalia - against UN rulings - and they hint at
involvement of British security firms.
The emails, dated June this year, reveal how US firms have been planning
undercover missions in support of President Abdullahi Yusuf's transitional
federal government - founded with UN backing in 2004 - against the Supreme
Islamic Courts Council - a radical Muslim militia which took control of
Mogadishu, the country's capital, also in June promising national unity
under Sharia law.
Evidence of foreign involvement in the conflict would not only breach the
UN arms embargo but could destabilise the entire region.
One email dated Friday, 16 June, is from Michele Ballarin, chief executive
of Select Armor - a US military firm based in Virginia. Ballarin's email
was sent to a number of individuals including Chris Farina of the
Florida-based military company ATS Worldwide.
Ballarin said: 'Boys: Successful meeting with President Abdullay Yussef
[sic] and his chief staff personnel in Nairobi, Kenya on Tuesday ... where
he invited us to his private hotel suite flacked by security detail ... He
has appointed is chief of presidential protocol as our go to during this
phase.'
She refers to one 'closed-door meeting' with a senior UN figure and
mentions there are 'a number of Brit security firms' also looking to get
involved.
Ballarin claimed she has been given 'carte blanche' to use three bases in
Somalia 'and the air access to reach them'.
She then suggests that the CIA have been kept informed of the plans.
Ballarin states: 'My contact whom we discussed from the agency side
requested an in-person meeting with me. I arrived in New York at 2340 last
night and was driven to Virginia - arriving at 0200 today.'
According to the highly respected newsletter, Africa Confidential, which
originally published extracts of the emails last week, Select Armor started
its operation planning in Kampala, Uganda. The emails suggest that the
Ugandan government were willing to help secure arms supplies for any
operation although this is denied by security officials in Kampala.
In one reply to Ballarin, Farina said: 'A forced entry operation [into
Mogadishu] at this point without the addition of follow-on forces who can
capitalise on the momentum/initiative of the initial op will result in a
replay of Dien Bien Phu'. This is a reference to the defeat of French
colonial forces in Indochina in 1953.
The website of Farina's company ATS boasts it 'can execute operations in
support of host national indigenous forces'. ATS claims it uses former US
and British special operations personnel.
One email discussing funding of any operation sent from Farina to Ballarin
states: 'We may have to re-focus our efforts in the US among the DOS [State
Department] and DOD [Defence Department] to bring any forward movement to
this effort.'
The Observer left several messages with both Select and ATS requesting
interviews but nobody responded. Ballarin told Africa Confidential last
week that the company's operations in Somalia were 'classified'.
source:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,329573101-119093,00.html
===
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