Reminder from Wikileaks Ethiopia Files: Ethiopia Bombs Itself, Blames Eritrea or OLF

by Thomas C. Mountain | September 16, 2011

Recently released Wikileaks Ethiopia files expose how Ethiopian security forces planted 3 bombs that went off in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on September 16, 2006 and then blamed Eritrea and the Oromo resistance for the blasts in a case that raises serious questions about the claims made about the bombing attempt against the African Union summit earlier this year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In a report from 2006 marked “Secret ; Subject: Ethiopia: Recent Bombings Blamed on Oromos Possibly the Work of GOE [Government of Ethiopia]” “Classified By: Charge [d’Affairs] Vicki Huddleston”, “An embassy source, as well as clandestine reporting, suggests that the bombing may have in fact been the work of the GoE security forces.” (Cable reference id:‪#‎06ADDISABABA2708‬.)

At the time, the western media reported the Ethiopian National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) claims that the bombs were “part of a coordinated terror attack by the OLF [Oromo Liberation Front, the oldest national liberation movement in Ethiopia] and Sha’abiya (Eritrea) aimed at disrupting democratic development”.

The Wikileaks report goes on, “a typically reliable information source” who “contacted Post to report that” the bodies of three men found at the bomb sites “had been picked up by police a week prior, kept in detention and tortured. He said police then left the men in a house and detonated explosives nearby, killing 3 of them.”

This exposes the history of how the Ethiopian regime has planted bombs and then blamed Eritrea and the Ethiopian resistance. The lies that make up the official version of this alleged terrorist attack raises serious questions about the credibility of the recently released report by the UN via its US State Department affiliate, the Monitoring Group for Eritrea and Somalia, which blames the Eritreans and the OLF for the January bombing attempt at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Identical lies about a nearly identical “terrorist attack”, all accepted as fact by the western media. This should also deliver another body blow to the Obama White House and its claims that Eritrea supports terrorism in the Horn of Africa.

So once again the bellowing against Eritrea by the USA and it lackeys at the UN going back to 2006 is exposed as complete bunkum and an identical frame up of Eritrean and the Oromo resistance in Ethiopia that has been regurgitated by the UN and its truth challenged Monitoring Group on Eritrea and Somalia must be subject to a more critical scrutiny. Based on this expose’ it can only be hoped that the UN inSecurity Council, which has yet to decide whether to pass severe sanctions against Eritrea, will refrain from doing so.

S E C R E T ADDIS ABABA 002708

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV ET ER
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: RECENT BOMBINGS BLAMED ON OROMOS
POSSIBLY THE WORK OF GOE

Classified By: CHARGE VICKI HUDDLESTON FOR REASONS 1.4(b)AND(d).

¶1. (S) SUMMARY A series of explosions were reported in Addis
Ababa on September 16, killing three individuals. The GoE
announced that the bombs went off while being assembled, and
that the three dead were terrorists from the outlawed Oromo
Liberation Front (OLF) with links to the Oromo National
Congress (ONC). An embassy source, as well as clandestine
reporting, suggests that the bombing may have in fact been
the work of GoE security forces. END SUMMARY

¶2. (U) On September 16, three bomb explosions were reported
in the Kara Kore area of Addis Ababa. The explosions were
heard at 4:45 a.m., 7:00 a.m., and 10:00 a.m. The National
Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), together with the
Federal Police Anti-terror Task Force later reported that the
bombs were “part of a coordinated terror attack by the OLF
and Sha’abiya (Eritrea) aimed at disrupting democratic
development.” The NISS said that the intended terror plot
had failed and the bombs had mistakenly gone off while the
suspects were preparing them while hiding out at an illegally
built house. Two of the suspects died immediately, while
another died on the way to the hospital. One other is in
critical condition. The police task force reported having
others in custody related to the plot and that evidence shows
the terrorists had ties to Oromo groups – the Mecha and
Tulema Association (MTA) and the ONC. They also said that
the bombs used contained parts sourced from Eritrea and were
consistent with bombs used in previous terrorist attacks.

¶3. (S) On September 20, Dr. Merera Gudina (strictly protect),
the former leader of the ONC (and a typically reliable
information source), contacted Post to report that the
deceased had not died not while constructing a bomb, but
rather at the hands of GoE cadres. Dr. Merera said that the
men had been picked up by police a week prior, kept in
detention and tortured. He said police then left the men in
a house and detonated explosives nearby, killing 3 of them.
He did not indicate whether the men were ONC or OLF
affiliated.

¶4. (S) Clandestine reporting indicates that the bombs did not
explode inside the structure, but rather appear to have been
placed outside and detonated.