11
In response to
questions about his
diplomatic status
and the purpose of
his trip Afweyne
presented the
authorities with an
apparently official
document issued by
the Director of the
TFG Presidency
(Chief of
Cabinet), Mohamed
Moalim Hassan, with
knowledge of TFG
President Sheikh
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
The document stated
that Afweyne was
involved in
counter-piracy
activities on behalf
of the Transitional
Federal Government (TFG)
for ‘Himan & Heeb’
region.12
Upon
his return to
Mogadishu a week
later, Afweyne was
reportedly summoned
to the Presidency.
The Monitoring Group
has since obtained
confirmation of
Afweyne’s status as
a TFG ‘diplomat’ and
corresponding
possession of a
diplomatic passport
issued by TFG-officials
with the
authorization of
Somali President
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh
Ahmed,
13
implying that ‘Afweyne’,
enjoys protection
from the highest
echelons within the
TFG (see also annex
1.2.).
The TFG President
informed the
Monitoring Group
that Afweyne’s
diplomatic status
was one of several
inducements intend
to obtain the
dismantling of his
pirate network.
Top
pirate leader and
‘TFG diplomat’
Mohamed Abdi Hassan
‘Afweyne’
8
NATO, EU NAVFOR,
CMF-TF151 and
independent naval
task forces such as
China, Russia,
India, Iran, Japan,
Indonesia, Malaysia,
Thailand, Singapore,
South Korea, Yemen
and Saudi Arabia.
9
Reportedly on 10
April 2012.
10
Central Somalia,
Mudug region
11
Passport number
obtained by the
Monitoring Group.
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