Cablegate: 31 European Tourists Seized and Released By

VZCZCXRO9438
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #0904 2360651
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 240651Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2838
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAB/AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN PRIORITY 0253
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR PRIORITY 1780
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA PRIORITY 1470
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0456
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 0230
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 0182

UNCLAS NIAMEY 000904

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT: FOR AF/W, AND DS/IP/AF; PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC CASC KCRM NG
SUBJECT: 31 EUROPEAN TOURISTS SEIZED AND RELEASED BY
BANDITS IN NIGER DESERT

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SUMMARY
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1. On the afternoon of Monday August 21, a group of
thirty-one tourists (thirty Italians and one German) were
reportedly detained by a group of armed bandits near the
eastern Nigerien oasis of Agadem. The group was released on
the morning of Tuesday the 22nd. None of the tour group
members were killed or injured, though the bandits did steal
two out of the group's twelve four-wheel-drive vehicles. The
tourists are currently proceeding north toward the nearest
population center, Bilma, which lies approximately 200 km
north of Agadem. Post hopes to receive additional information
on the incident from Nigerien authorities who will interview
the group upon their arrival in Bilma. No Amcits reside or
work in this region of Niger. END SUMMARY

2. Post initially received information on the incident via
open source European media reports on Tuesday the 22nd.
Apparently, the German tourist escaped from the captive group
and used a satellite phone to call the German embassy in
Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire. Post received a call from a Reuters
news service reporter based in Dakar, requesting information.
The Nigerien authorities initially seemed to lack information
on the incident, unsurprisingly given the remoteness of
Agadem. The government spokesman initially suggested that
there were no more than two or three tourists involved. By
Tuesday evening, the Minister of the Interior was able to
report, in a local television interview on the incident, that
the group had been freed and was on its way to Bilma. RSO
office contacts have provided post with the most current and
accurate information.

3. RSO contacts report that the group began its tour in
Tunisia, and traveled via Libya to Chad. Apparently following
traditional caravan routes, the group entered Niger near the
eastern city of N'Guigmi (immediately north of the zone
formerly occupied by Lake Chad) and proceeded north toward
Bilma via N'Gourti and Agadem, a journey of some 500 km.
Nigerien police have backtracked the route apparently used by
the bandits to the Chadian border. Nigerien police contacts
suspect that the group may be of Chadian origin, though,
given the porous nature of the region's borders and the
tendency of local nomadic groups to cross frontiers, the
group's nationality cannot be determined.

4. Approximately one week prior to this incident a group of
bandits attacked a convoy of cigarette trucks in the
northeastern corner of Niger, near the town of Madama (105 km
south of the Libyan border). One Nigerien soldier was killed
in the ensuing exchange of fire, and five cigarette trucks
were stolen. Again, Nigerien authorities speculate that the
bandits hailed from Chad.

5. Post will conduct an EAC meeting this afternoon, and will
report additional information as it is obtained.
ALLEN

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