Cablegate: Democratic Republic of Congo: 2001 Annual

P 101300Z DEC 01
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1423

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 005605

DEPT FOR S/CT: FOR REAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER CG
SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 2001 ANNUAL
TERRORISM REPORT

REF: STATE 198912

1. SUMMARY: THE GDRC PLAYED A POSITIVE, IF VERY MINOR, ROLE
ON TERRORISM ISSUES DURING 2001. NONETHELESS, EASTERN DRC IS
UNDER CONTROL OF REBEL FORCES AND CONTINUES TO BE PLAGUED BY
SEVERE DISORDER AND BANDITRY IN LARGE AREAS. WHETHER ANY OF
THIS ACTIVITY CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS TERRORISM IS QUESTIONABLE,
BUT THE DISRUPTION IT CAUSES IN THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IS
NOT. THE GOVERNMENT OF JOSEPH KABILA HAS RESPONDED
POSITIVELY ON MATTERS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM SINCE THE
TERRORIST ATTACKS ON SEPTEMBER 11. END SUMMARY

2. POST'S DETAILED RESPONSE

A) SUPPORT FOR THE GLOBAL COALITION

SUBSEQUENT TO THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11 THE GDRC
HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF US REPRESENTATION ON
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM ISSUES. THAT SAID THE DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC OF CONGO REMAINS A DIVIDED COUNTRY WITH REBEL GROUPS
IN CONTROL OF ABOUT HALF ON THE COUNTRY. IN REBEL-CONTROLLED
TERRITORY THERE IS CONSIDERABLE DISORDER, AND UNCONTROLLED
ARMED GROUPS ROAM FREELY. BANDITRY AND DISORDER ARE
COMMONPLACE. THIS ACTIVITY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ORGANIZED
TERRORISM, ALTHOUGH SOME UNCONTROLLED ARMED GROUPS HAVE THE
GOAL OF DESTABILIZING NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.

B) TERRORIST INCIDENTS THWARTED, AND TERRORIST CELLS BROKEN
UP, DURING 2001.

NONE

C) RESPONSE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM AND/OR SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM
DURING 2001

THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN THE DRC REMAINS IN A STATE OF
DYSFUNCTION. SIGNIFICANT CRIMINAL CASES ARE TRIED IN
MILITARY COURTS, IN WHICH DUE PROCESS STANDARDS ARE VERY LOW.
NO TERRORISM CASES WERE KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN TRIED IN 2001.

D) EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS

NO EXTRADITION REQUESTS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DRC WERE
MADE DURING 2001.

E) SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO HOST GOVERNMENT PROSECUTION
AND/OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS

THERE IS NO EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN THE U.S. AND DRC, BUT
THERE ARE NO IMPEDIMENTS TO DOMESTIC PROSECUTION OF SUSPECTED
TERRORISTS IN THE DRC.

F) HOST GOVERNMENT RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECUTION

PRESIDENT KABILA WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO OFFER HIS AND HIS
COUNTRY'S CONDOLENCES FOLLOWING THE SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST
ATTACKS IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON. THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO
MADE PUBLIC STATEMENTS AGAINST TERRORISM.

G) MAJOR COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN IN 2001

THE GOVERNMENT OF DRC MAINTAINS AN EXTENSIVE INTELLIGENCE
SERVICE, WHICH, INTER ALIA, CONDUCTS COUNTER-TERRORISM
ACTIVITIES. NO SPECIFIC COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS, I.E.,
THOSE OUTSIDE THE NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS, ARE KNOWN TO
HAVE BEEN MADE DURING 2001

H) SIGNIFICANT HOST GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM

NONE

I) PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST-SUPPORTING
COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM ISSUE

NONE

J) SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SINCE 2001 IN THE HOST GOVERNMENT'S
ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM

SINCE JOSEPH KABILA TOOK POWER AFTER HIS FATHER'S
ASSASSINATION, THE GOVERNMENT OF DRC HAS BEHAVED IN A MUCH
MORE RESPONSIBLE MANNER. RELATIONS WITH NORTH KOREA, LIBYA
AND CUBA, FOR INSTANCE, REMAIN FRIENDLY, BUT THE FREQUENCY OF
VISITS BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO THOSE COUNTRIES HAS
DECLINED SUBSTANTIALLY. MOST PROBABLY, THE PRINCIPAL REASON
FOR THE CHANGE IS THE FACT THAT JOSEPH KABILA HAS A BROADER
WORLD-VIEW THAN HIS FATHER, WHO RECEIVED HIS POLITICAL
EDUCATION DURING THE 60S.

K) U.S. COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES WITH THE
DRC GOVERNMENT

NO INSTANCES OF COOPERATION ON TERRORISM BETWEEN THE U.S. AND
DRC WERE RECORDED DURING 2001. THE DRC MILITARY INTELLIGENCE
SERVICE HAS RESPONDED FAVORABLY TO A USDAO REQUEST FOR
COLLABORATION AGAINST TERRORISM. THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO
PROFESS ITS READINESS TO COOPERATE WITH THE U.S. ON TERRORISM
ISSUES.

L) COOPERATION FROM THE DRC GOVERNMENT DURING THE PREVIOUS
FIVE YEARS IN THE INVESTIGATION OR PROSECUTION OF AN ACT OF
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

NONE

(I) EXTENT TO WHICH THE HOST GOVERNMENT IN 2001 COOPERATED
OR IS COOPERATING WITH THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT IN
APPREHENDING, CONVICTING, AND PUNISHING THE INDIVIDUAL OR
INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACT;

NONE

(II) THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE HOST GOVERNMENT IN 2001
COOPERATED OR IS COOPERATING IN PREVENTING FURTHER ACTS OF
TERRORISM AGAINST UNITED STATES CITIZENS IN THE HOST
GOVERNMENT'S TERRITORY.

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DRC HAS RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO U.S.
DEMARCHES ON ADHERENCE TO ANTI-TERRORISM CONVENTIONS,
ALTHOUGH TO DATE RATIFICATIONS OF THOSE ANTI-TERRORISM
CONVENTIONS TO WHICH THE DRC IS NOT A PARTY HAVE NOT BEEN
COMPLETED.

M) EXTENT TO WHICH THE HOST GOVERNMENT IN 2001 COOPERATED
WITH OTHER ANTI-TERRORISM EFFORTS

THE U.S. SOUGHT AND OBTAINED CLOSURE OF A STREET IN FRONT OF
THE EMBASSY. THE CLOSURE IS PERMANENT AND A BARRIER WILL BE
CONSTRUCTED TO ENSURE THAT IT REMAINS SO. THE GOVERNMENT
ALSO GRANTED PERMISSION FOR THE EMBASSY SURVEILLANCE
DETECTION UNIT TO OPERATE IN PLAIN CLOTHES, WHICH GREATLY
INCREASES THEIR EFFECTIVENESS.

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