Breaking News:President Jammeh blocks Freedom Newspaper IP Address following
revelations on National Security!
Following revelations on disturbing security issues between the Gambia and
Senegal, The Gambian Government has resorted to blocking the Freedom
Newspaper IP address once again. The move was designed to deny Gambians
acces to the widely read Newspaper. Our Correspondent Wise Man said he tried
to access the Freedom Newspaper on numerous occasions but without success.
We ran a lead story about two NIA agents and a Custom official who were
arrested after they were accused of allowing rebels loyal to fugitive
Colonel Ndure Cham to enter into the West African country. Sources close to
GAMTEL said the President istructed them to block the Freedom Newspaper IP
address since the papper according to these sources was "exposing matters of
national security." The government believes that the Freedom Newspaper
recent story might cause wave of unrest, panic and anxiety among the Gambian
populace. The US State Department and press freedom supporters are here
informed about the "UnGodly act" taken by the Jammeh administration to deny
Gambians access to reliable and credible Gambian news. This is second time
in a spand of two years that this government has blocked our IP address.
Below is the story which angered the Gambian government. Please read on….

By Our Western Division Correspondent Wise Man,
Paid For And Commissioned by the Freedom Newspaper.

Two officials of Gambia's National Intelligence Agency the (NIA) and a
Custom border guard have been arrested after they were accused of allowing
dissident rebels believed to have been sent by the fugitive Army Colonel
Ndure Cham to conduct secret operations in the Gambia, in a bid to
strategize ways and means of wagging an arm resurrection against the
Government of  The Gambia, highly placed State House sources told the
Freedom Newspaper today. The arrested security officials posted at the
Dasilami border post near the town of Brikama were identified as Sarjo
Kuyateh, NIA operative, Musa Kebbeh, also an NIA operative and  Bolong Mara
Sanneh, a  local Custom border agent. The men who were arrested this past
week were accused of allowing "undercover dissident rebels" to enter into
the Gambia's territorial borders without proper screening, thereby
endangering what the State House sources called" Gambia's peace and
stability." NIA investigators say the dissidents were allegedly sent to
survey key security instillations across the country by Colonel Ndure Cham,
Captain Sana Bairo Sabally, Major Kalipha Bajinka and one Lieutenant Yankuba
Badjie in a bid to launch an attack against the Gambia. The men in question
are said to be residing in neighboring Senegal according to the NIA
investigators. The three border security agents are currently helping the
NIA in their investigations.

                Arrest Operation in Brikama

Explaining how the arrests were effected, a loyal police source at the
Brikama police station said an NIA agent came to their station and relayed
to their Station officer that the border guards were needed at their Marina
Parade offices in Banjul, in relation to reports that they "allowed rebels"
acting on the orders of Ndure Cham and others to enter into the Gambia
without the expressed permission of the Gambian authorities. The NIA officer
who arrived with a motor bike at the Brikama police station, later joined
the arresting team to the accused person's  respective residences, where the
border guards  were taken by surprise about the orders for their immediate
arrest and detention. The NIA agent arrived at the station without a
registration plate on his motor bike, was quoted as saying that the arrest
of these men came from the President Yahya Jammeh. The intelligent agent
then warned the Station officer to urge his reinforcement  team to be extra
careful when arresting Sarjo Kuyateh, who was  said to be tall, strong,
energetic and aggressive. Kuyateh was arrested without any form of
resistance, as earlier anticipated by the NIA agent.

Musa Kebbeh lives in  Brikama Gidda,  whilst Bolong Mara Sanneh lives in
Brikama Sanneh Kunda ward. On their arrival at Sanneh Kunda, the arresting
officers were greeted by a curious crowd, mainly the young and the elderly.
A sizable number of people gathered at Mr. Sanneh's compound, where a naming
ceremony was in progress at the material time. Sanneh's wife delivered
recently. The program was disrupted, when Mr.Sanneh was invited by the NIA
officers, who relayed to him about orders for his immediate arrest. At the
time armed paramilitary officials were on standby to effect his arrest.
While the crowd helplessly watched by, Sanneh was asked to board a waiting
vehicle and later taken to the NIA offices in Banjul.

At Mr. Kuyeteh's compound his wife was met cooking in the  kitchen, where
she was asked by the arresting team about the whereabouts of her husband.
She responded by telling the NIA agents that Kuyateh was sleeping. The men
then advanced into the room, where they forcefully woke up Kuyateh.
Mr.Kuyateh was then informed about the orders for his arrest. He complied
without any rancor. He was handcuffed and thrown into a waiting vehicle.

Prior to whisking them away to Banjul, the border agents were briefly placed
in police cells at the Birkama Police station, where friends, relatives and
close acquaintances were denied access to the detainees. Police would not
allow anyone to get closer to the accused persons, not to mention securing
them bail.

After languishing in police cells for about 30 minutes, a black Pajero truck
later arrived at the Brikama Police station to receive the arrested border
agents who were handcuffed at the material time. It was a somber moment.
Wives and relatives of the detainees could be seen weeping. They cried at
the top of their voices, as the black truck whisked the detainees away. Our
Western Division Correspondent Wise Man interviewed families of the
detainees, who informed him that the detainees were yet to be released by
the Gambian authorities. The concerned families have prayed for the safe
return of their loved ones.

      NIA Says there is an imminent threat from Senegal

According to a preliminary report issued by the NIA and was declassified by
a top agent of the institution, Dakar was being used as "save heaven for
dissident soldiers led by Colonel Ndure Cham. The report also accuses the
Wade Government of allowing Colonel Cham, Captain Sabally, Major Bajinka,
LT.Badjie to use their soil for "subversive activities" against the
democratically elected government of President Yahya Jammeh. The NIA  top
official who wished not to be named said the Daily Observer recent editorial
damning Dakar on their alleged "sinister plans to destibilize" the Gambia,
with the Wade government allegedly  "providing sanctuary to Sarr and others
was as a result of the arrest of these rebels allegedly sent by Ndure Cham
to survey the Gambia. The NIA official says so far their investigations have
revealed that the arrested rebels were sent  by Cham, Sabally, Bajinka and
Badjie to launch secret operations in the Gambia before advancing with their
troops into the country. "We still cannot understand how these border guards
allowed these people into the country. They are helping us  with our
investigations. The arrested rebels have implicated Dakar in their
statements. That I can tell you." said the official.

The NIA top official said the arrest of these rebels might further strained
relationship between the Gambia and the Senegal." The men said there are
troops being trained in Senegal to wage an attack in the Gambia. We wanted
to parade them before the TV, but due to the revelations we heard so far the
authorities have decided to approach the matter through diplomatic means.
These borders guards had been accused of conspiracy to commit felony and
treason. Our investigations linked them to negligence of duty." said the NIA
insider.

NIA Agents in Dakar to counter the alleged planned attack

According to the NIA official, following confessionary statements from the
detained rebels, the Gambian leader who is the Commander of their agency
has  instructed that some of their men to be posted in Dakar, Kolack, Tamba
, Casamance and elsewhere across that French speaking country to further
investigate and report to him about the plans to end his administration by
men loyal to Ndure Cham. "As we speak, close to 70 NIA operatives are
scattered in Senegal. Their mission is to monitor the activities of the
dissidents and report directly to the President. They are also tasked with
finding out the place, where the rebels are undergoing training. The
President is very upset right now. He is very angry with President Wade."
said the NIA insider.

According to the NIA agent, the detained rebels said " Ndure Cham's men were
posed to strike at anytime and that the President was increasingly worried
by the said revelations." The NIA insider said the Gambian Government is
planning to protest to the United Nations about "Dakar's move to welcome
dissident rebels" into their soil. "The President has made so many phone
calls and had vowed to tackle Senegal militarily if these men ever attempts
to seize power by force. Due to the rebel's confessions, we have beefed up
security across the border. The President is worried as we speak."

Custom officials shift intelligence failure to the NIA!!

Speaking in a telephone conversation, a top official of the Gambia Customs
and Excise Department confirmed the arrest of their agent Bolong Mara
Sanneh. The Custom official said their job was to ensure that all visitors
into the country had valid Identity cards before they were given
"Lessepasse" or entry permit. According to the agent, the intelligence
failure squarely lies on the side of the NIA who should be present when
visitors are being issued entry permit into the country. "If the NIA had
done their job properly, these rebels could not have found their way into
the country. We feel sorry for Mr.Sanneh and his family. He has nothing to
do with what had happened. Our Directorate are not equally saddened by these
developments. If you talk they said you are an opposition to the system, but
the NIA should take the blame for allowing these rebels into the country."
said the Custom official.

The Custom official cited the March abortive coup and the NIA'S slow
response to the incident. "This clearly shows that this country is not
secured. If the Custom can be blamed for this incident, how come that the
NIA could not detect the presence of these men into the country? Most of the
NIA operatives posted at Jibora, Dasilami, Karang and other border posts
hardly stayed at their guard post. In most cases, our men operate on their
own. The NIA are no where to be seen. The NIA should set up a patrolling
team to monitor their men posted at the border. It's unfair for one to blame
the Customs." the official retorted.

Attempts to reach the Senegalese High Commissioner in Banjul for comments
proved futile.


Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 (Archive on Monday, July 23, 2007)
Posted by PNMBAI  Contributed by PNMBAI
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