The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the American Defence Intelligence Agency have placed the President of the Islamic Dewa Forum in Gaborone Moemedi Al Hassan on their watch list. A “confidential” cable from the American Embassy in Jamaica sent to the CIA, FBI and other American security organs released by Wiki Leaks states that, “Hassan MOEMEDI DOB: UNK POB: UNK Subject, who is the president of the Islamic Dawa Forum in Botswana, is an alleged close associate of El Faisal. He was a willing sponsor of El Faisal in Botswana. Local check of Consolidated Consular Database indicates no record. Recipients are requested to recheck CCD to verify.”
The report was filed in 2010 after Al Hassan was granted a Visa to go to the United Kingdom. Another report by Stratfor, a private U.S.-based intelligence-gathering firm known to some as a “shadow CIA” for corporations and government agencies stated that while Abdullah Al Faisal was in Botswana, there were rumours that he was operating “suicide bomber camps” in that country.”
The Muslim cleric, Al-Faisal was deported from Botswana on suspicions that he was recruiting young Batswana to become suicide bombers. This claim was however denied by Moemedi Al Hassan. Another leaked cable from the US embassy in Gaborone reveals how US envoys tried to feel out President of the Botswana Muslim Association Satar Dada and other Muslims in the country “to gauge their attitudes towards US actions in combating terrorism following the September 11 attacks.”
The cable reported that “the Muslim community leaders have delayed meeting with us, and have expressed unease at the prospect, as the meeting will likely involve significant differences of opinion.” The American Embassy however acknowledged that the Botswana Muslim community had not produced any radicals. The embassy reported that it had noted with “concern” that the Botswana Muslim Association could not reach a consensus on issuing a message of condolences following the September 11 bombings.
“Source theorized that either Dada truly did not want a condolence statement issued (contrary to his statement to Ambassador and DCM), or that the youth wing of Botswana Muslim Movement is exerting more authority within the organization than mainstream BMA members anticipated.”
