A note from the Authors: While assembling this article, we pondered a question. Was the 17th of August 2011 FARA registration statement “under the direction of Hassan Tatanaki,” a backdoor overture to the US Government by the Gaddafi Regime?
These are documents with Hassan Tatanaki’s consultancy agreements on file with the Department of Justice-FARA Registration Unit and the basis of this article:
- Date: 17 August 2011-FARA links: #5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31 & 5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-32
- Our PDF 5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31.
- Date: 2008-FARA link: 5875-Exhibit-AB-20080617-2.
- Our PDF 5875-Exhibit-AB-20080617-2
- Date: 1992-FARA link: 4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02.
- Our PDF 4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02:
Hassan Tatanaki and Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiryia 17 August 2011 ‘FARA Quick Search’ – www_fara_gov_quick-search_html HERE
By searching Twitter, we locate a Facebook and Dropbox by Jean Dillinger where he noted two 17 August 2011 US Government, Department of Justice-FARA documents. We confirmed the documents on the FARA Registration Unit site as received by US Department of Justice on “Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 08/17/2011 4:44:15 PM”.
We added a reference to this FARA document in our enlightening article about the Libyan Diplomatic Corps. In our article الدبلوماسية الليبية بين “المجاهدين القدماء” و “الثوار الجدد” و “بقايا النظام , we stated that in this document dated 17 August 2011 Libyan Ambassador to Washington, Ambassador Ali Aujali, is named as the “official with the registrant deals.” As registrant equates to lobbyist, it means the person with which the lobbyist contacts. According to this document, “The Name of the Foreign Principal” is Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya with “The Principal Address of the Foreign Principal” as Permanent Mission of Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.
From page 1 of 17 August 2011 FARA #5875:
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya August 17 2011, PAGE 1 ” – www_fara_gov_docs_5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31 HERE
In Exhibit A:
3. Name of Foreign Principal
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
4. Principal Address of Foreign Principal
Permanent Mission of Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to United Nations , 315 E. 48th Street, New York, NY 10017
6: If the foreign principal is a foreign government, state:
a) Branch or agency represented by the registrant
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
b) Name and title of official with whom registrant deals
Ambassador Ali Aujali
About Ambassador Aujali’s involvement, a few questions come to mind.
First, as Ambassador Aujali of the Libyan Embassy in Washington DC was the designated official to deal with the lobbyist in the 17 August 2011 FARA document, we have to ask why? Ambassador Aujali was, as noted, part of the Libyan Foreign Ministry. Why was he involved in the private lobbying activities of one of Libya’s businessmen? Mr. Tatanaki, as a private citizen, is allowed to generate/pay for a Washington lobbyist but as Ambassador Aujali is a member of the Libyan Foreign Ministry, why would he allow the use of his position in the US as the highest representative of the Libyan Government? All of his actions reflect upon his employer, The Libyan Government.
‘Libya’s U_N_ Diplomats Break With Qaddafi – NY Times HERE
Secondly, Ambassador Aujali was, as Jeff Stein wrote “Libya’s ambassador here (Washington DC) raising pre-Gaddafi flag” on the 25 February 2011. Further, on the 21 February 2011 the Libyan Mission to the UN held a Press Conference where Ibrahim Dabbasi as The New York Times noted that “Members of Libya’s mission to the United Nations renounced Col. Muammar el-Gaddafi on Monday, calling him a genocidal war criminal responsible for mass shootings of demonstrators protesting against his four decades in power. They called upon him to resign.“ The Libyan Mission even released an Arabic statement with an English translation noting the break by calling Gaddafi a “Tyrant” and “Dictator”. Libyan UN Mission Statements: Arabic and English translation are NYTimes graphics PDFs from The New York Times article. Our PDF copies: UN Mission Libyan Arabic 21-2-2011 & UN MISSION LIBYAN English translation 21-2-2011
When BOTH the Libyan Washington DC embassy and the UN Permanent Mission on the 21st and 25th February 2011 repudiated the Regime – why was Ambassador Aujali involved with a document dated the 17th of August that used the now repugnant term of Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya? Finally, as Ambassador Aujali was the Libyan Ambassador in Washington DC, why was the address given of the Permanent Mission of Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to United Nations in New York?
FARA #5875
Although each FARA have different links ( #5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31 & 5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-32), they appear linked or the same. Yet, there is a discrepancy of three seconds in the time received by FARA: Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 08/17/2011 4:44:15 PM and Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 08/17/2011 4:44:12 PM. The first contains Exhibits A and B while the second only Exhibit B. Both contain the same attached consultancy agreement which was a pre-existing 2008 lobbying agreement for Mr. Tatanaki’s “Challenger Limited.” Either separate FARAs or a clerical error, we note their distinct links and for this op/ed discussion we refer to them together.
Beside the attached 2008 Challenger Limited consultancy agreement for remuneration, Mr. Tatanaki was noted on each 17th of August 2011 FARA documents. In Exhibit B Question 3 as “Name of Foreign Principal.” The answer was Hassan Tatanaki, Challenger Limited. (Page 3 & page 1)
An August 2011 backdoor overture to the US Government by Saif Gaddafi?
In Exhibit B, Question 9, the US government asks the lobbyist, “Will the activities on behalf of the above foreign principal include political activities?” The lobbyist answered “YES.” Asked to “describe all such political activities” for his client-Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the lobbyist stated that “under the direction of Hassan Tatanaki” their “scope of our work included assisting the Libyan nationals deepen its ties to the U.S. and international political communities by assisting Saif Qaddafi’s initial efforts to organize student exchange programs…”
… Assisting the Libyan nationals deepen its ties to the U.S. and international political communities by assisting Saif Qaddafi’s initial efforts… is the applicable phrase. Setting aside the ridiculous statement of student exchange programs at a time of revolution, consider (1) the date, (17 August 2011-5 days before the fall of Tripoli), (2) the client/Foreign Principal was Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya AND (3) a representative of the Regime – Saif Gaddafi’s prominence in the Washington DC lobbyist’s “scope of work.” Was this a last ditch, backdoor channel to the US Government by the Gaddafi Regime?
If so, note page 4 & page 2 “the activities” of the lobbyist “under the direction of Mr. Tatanaki”:
HASSAN TATANAKI – SAIF GADDAFI (Page 4 excerpt) 17 August 2011 www_fara_gov_docs_5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31 HERE
- This is the 7 pages of the 17 August 2011 #5875. Click to enlarge.
- 17 August 2011 #5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31 & 5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-32
- Our PDF 5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31.
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya August 17, 2011, PAGE 4 ”www_fara_gov_docs_5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31HERE
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya August 17, 2011, PAGE 3 ‘www_fara_gov_docs_5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31HERE
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya August 17 2011, PAGE 2 www_fara_gov_docs_5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31HERE
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya August 17 2011, PAGE 1 ”www_fara_gov_docs_5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31 HERE
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya August 17, 2011, PAGE 7 ”www_fara_gov_docs_5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31 HERE
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya August 17, 2011, PAGE 6 www_fara_gov_docs_5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31HERE
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya August 17, 2011, PAGE 5 www_fara_gov_docs_5875-Exhibit-AB-20110817-31HERE
HASSAN TANAKAKI 1992 #4679 FARA Quick Search’ – www_fara_gov_quick-search_html
Pre-Revolution FARA documents for Mr. Tatanaki, 1992 & 2008
In our initial search we were able to find these FARA documents attributed to Hassan Tatanaki. On two different FARA registration statements we found the Mr. Tatanaki attested that his citizenship as one -Egypt and another –Libya (Exhibit A Question 5). We provide two pre-revolution FARA documents, one is from 1992 and another from 2008 (PDF above).
Page 5 of Mr. Tatanaki’s 1992 FARA #4679 noted his lobbyist’s “tasks” “between the United States and Libya.” Other tasks included “… undertake to portray the image of Libya and ITS ADMINISTRATION in the most favorable view with the U.S. and world media …”
Hassan Tatanaki’s 1992 (PAGE 5 excerpt) # 4679 www_fara_gov_docs_4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02
Page 6 of 1992 FARA #4679 detailed remuneration by Mr. Tatanaki & services to be received.
Hassan Tatanaki’s 1992 (PAGE 6 excerpt) # 4679, www_fara_gov_docs_4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02
- These are the 6 pages from the 1992 #4679. Click to enlarge.
- The FARA link and our PDF 4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02:
Hassan Tatanaki 1992 PAGE 4 #4679 www_fara_gov_docs_4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02 HERE
Hassan Tatanaki 1992 PAGE 3 #4679 www_fara_gov_docs_4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02 HERE
Hassan Tatanaki 1992 PAGE 2 #4679 www_fara_gov_docs_4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02 HERE
Hassan Tatanaki 1992 PAGE 1 #4679 www_fara_gov_docs_4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02 HERE
Hassan Tatanaki 1992 PAGE 6 excerpt#4679, www_fara_gov_docs_4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02 HERE
Hassan Tatanki 1992 PAGE 5 excerpt #4679 www_fara_gov_docs_4679-Exhibit-AB-19920901-D1Y9PR02 HERE
Hassan Tatanaki WIKILEAKS’ Cable HERE
Interested in Mr. Tatanaki’s citizenship…or at least the passports he has carried?
We found a Wikileaks cable from 2003 that the American embassy noted about Mr. Tatanaki, ‘In this particular case, the individual also held passports from four other countries, at least one of which was fraudulent.’ Also, the Wikileaks cable noted about Mr. Tatanaki that “In addition, a Local Lookout entered by Post in November 2001 from a Diplomatic Note circulated by the UAE Embassy in Baghdad, showed that the same individual had lost a UAE diplomatic passport issued in his name.”
The series of passports included Libya, Egypt, Turkey, UAE and “the Brazilian passport was found to be fraudulent.” By our count that is 4 legitimate and one not-so-legitimate.
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