“Reza will be setting up a meeting with the Chief of the Interior Ministry in three days’ time in Borama for you,” he had added.
“What’s his background?” Navjot had asked due to the fact that he hadn’t read the briefing file yet that was waiting for him back at the office because he had been on leave in an effort to save his marriage and get his head back in order.
“Ex-pirate, slavery, prostitution, and murder,” Ali had simply stated.
“Sounds peachy!” Navjot had said just as the waitress delivered their eggs.
As the young lady placed the breakfast on the table, Navjot had wondered how he was going to tell his wife Lori that he was about to go back on operations again. It was a prospect he wasn’t looking forward to.
17
Borama
“Minister, it is a fabulous pleasure to meet you,” Navjot offered in a crisp educated British accent as he proffered his hand having been taken into the lounge by the ex-pirate’s entourage to meet him.
“Welcome to my country, Mr. Singh, we are extremely honored to have you here,” Wasir replied, taking the Indian’s hand in the process.
“Our mutual friend Reza speaks very highly of you,” the ex-pirate continued as he gestured to a young boy to give the party welcome juices and teas.
“Likewise, Minister. And may I say I am particularly looking forward to exploring the opportunities your country has to offer,” Navjot said politely, acknowledging the small talk.
“My team will take you to my hotel so you can rest,” stated Wasir with authority. “Then I suggest that we meet for dinner this evening?” he offered or ordered, depending on an observer’s point of view.
“Why that sounds wonderful!” replied the billionaire businessman with a beaming smile as he took a glass of Mango juice.
18
Washington, D.C.
Back in Washington three days later, Navjot and his team sat down to debrief Ali in the Cube.
As Wasir Osman Hassan’s face appeared on the screen, Navjot commenced the briefing.
“The baseline with Hassan is now in place. Over the next two months, we will court him, increase his profile and allow him the opportunity to ‘step up’ in the tribal politics by offering a deal as a counterpoint to the Russian influence in the country,” he said and then continued. “He is purely motivated by money and power despite the promotion of himself as a trusted militia leader to the Clan chiefs.”
“Our assessment of him is he only did this to eradicate rival pirate competitors despite him saying he did it to counter the growth of Al Shaahab Islamists in line with the wishes of tribal elders,” he said before pausing for a moment while one of the team changed the PowerPoint slide, he then pressed on.
“Since giving up piracy he has used his wealth to take control of money lending, Hawala, general trading, prostitution, and slavery in Adwalland, ruthlessly taking out any competitors in the process.” Again Navjot paused for the next slide, which showed an organization chart.
“Using his wealth as a tool enables him to recruit former pirates from all the Clans then with their placement into the Interior Ministry he ensures their loyalty by providing members of his Clan with loans or equipment to make money themselves, much in the same way a classic Mafia Mob boss does. In so doing he successfully took them outside their traditional Clans.”
“This means he has created in effect his own Clan?” Ali offered.
“Yes,” answered Navjot.
“Don Osman doesn’t have the same ring though!” thought Ali silently as Navjot continued to brief him on his various family connections and their organization within his Clan.
Inwardly Ali was pleased that their initial synopsis of the Minister was proving correct because until Navjot’s team met him they had no intelligence on the ground in Adwalland to give them a full profile, only the bullshit peddled by Somalis from Mogadishu.
The next PowerPoint slide arrived with a pie chart.
“In terms of assets, Reza advises he currently holds approximately ten million U.S. dollars in cash assets in Dubai with him at the bank and a number of properties including a large villa in the salubrious Emirates Hills area of Dubai.”
“In Adwalland, Wasir owns a hotel and offices that are rented out to NGOs; An exchange shop, a couple of Petrol Stations, a fleet of tanker trucks all rented out to members of his Clan, and an IL-76 cargo plane which is owned in partnership with a Turkmen based in Dubai.”
“On the coast, he owns a fleet of about hundred fishing boats all conversions from his pirate days when the Pirates would rent the boats from him for a share of the spoils and finally a fish cannery that exports through Mogadishu onto Jebel Ali in Dubai then onwards to Iran.” Navjot briefed as he explained the charts.
“This explains, incidentally, why he survived the international efforts to round up the pirate leaders and how he stayed under the radar,” Ali offered with his own review.
“Yep, he’s a string puller,” Navjot answered in agreement.
“I bet you enjoyed your tour of all them!” offered Ali deadpan, earning smirks from his team around the table if not Navjot, before asking, “Education?”
“That’s the interesting bit actually, as his father before the war was a manager at Italian Oil Company; he was able to gain an education at the school provided by them.”
“So he speaks Italian, not just English”
“Although he has had no formal university education he’s street smart and knows his way around a bookkeeping ledger,” responded the behavioral science expert.
“If Reza is right then he’s our man!” Ali stated, pleased with his young protégé. When he had called him initially for a possible lead he had instantly said he had just the man for him.
“He’s turning into a real asset that young man!” he thought to himself with pride as Navjot for the third time agreed with Ali’s study.
19
Cote d’Azur
Climbing onboard the yacht, Thomas was met by Nara who had dressed for dinner in a black Abaya finished with gold trim and a silk one-off Hermes headscarf on her head because they were hosting a Minister of a Muslim country. Fitz was dressed in his Captain’s uniform, just in case he were required if Thomas was delayed.
He quickly apologized to the both of them for being late due to the missing of his slot out of Farnborough following his unexpected not to mention very surprising afternoon tea with Rebecca over the fact by way she had indicated to him just how much an expert she was on the subjects of Oligarchs, but more importantly, him.
Greetings out of the way, Thomas asked if everybody were settled in.
“Yes, darling everybody is in the dining room,” Nara answered with a look of distaste on her face something he quickly picked up on.
“What’s wrong?” he asked automatically.
“The Minister seems to be under the impression I am part of his entertainment!” Nara answered with disgust at the way he had mentally undressed her on the occasion she had greeted him initially onboard and for drinks earlier.
“Well, I will soon put him right” he responded as he kissed her gently to put her ease. “Thank you, by the way,” he said.
“For what, Thomas?” she replied confused.
“For your respect towards the position of our guest my darling despite his lack of manners,” he answered as he kissed her again.