Cablegate: United Kingdom: 1994 Annual Terrorism Report

R 281757Z DEC 94
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2706

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 020091

S/CT FOR REAP

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER UK
SUBJECT: UNITED KINGDOM: 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

REF: STATE 286744

1. FOLLOWING IS EMBASSY INPUT FOR THE UK PORTION OF
THE 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT. RESPONSES ARE KEYED
TO QUESTIONS POSED IN PARA 3 REFTEL.

2. PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
AND/OR SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM:

-- HMG CONTINUES ACTIVELY TO PROSECUTE MEMBERS OF THE
PROVISIONAL IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY (PIRA) AND ULSTER
LOYALIST TERRORIST GROUPS FOR ATTACKS IN NORTHERN
IRELAND AND GREAT BRITAIN BEFORE THEIR CEASEFIRES
ON SEPTEMBER 1 AND OCTOBER 14 RESPECTIVELY. WE
HAVE NOTED AT LEAST 17 PROSECUTIONS IN ENGLAND IN
1994, AS WELL AS AT LEAST 100 IN NORTHERN IRELAND.

-- THREE PROBABLE PKK TERRORISTS WERE CONVICTED IN
AUGUST FOR FIREBOMBS IN LONDON IN NOVEMBER 1993.

-- DESPITE INTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS, THERE HAVE BEEN
NO ARRESTS AS YET FOR THE MARCH SERIES OF PIRA
MORTAR BOMBS AT HEATHROW, OR THE BOMBINGS OF THE
ISRAELI EMBASSY AND A JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER IN
LONDON IN JULY.

3. EXTRADITIONS AND REQUESTS FOR EXTRADITION:

-- HMG HAS BEEN EXTREMELY COOPERATIVE IN EXTRADITING
SUSPECTED TERRORISTS (MOST ASSOCIATED WITH PIRA) TO
THE U.S. FOR TRIAL. FURTHER INFORMATION IS
AVAILABLE FROM FBI HQ IN WASHINGTON.

-- HMG ALSO EXTRADITED TWO ENGLISH WOMEN TO FACE TRIAL
IN OREGON FOR CONSPIRACY TO MURDER A STATE ATTORNEY
IN 1986 IN CONNECTION WITH THE BHAGWAN SRI RAJNEESH
COMMUNE, DESPITE INTENSE OPPOSITION FROM BRITISH
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS.

-- HMG CONTINUES TO SEEK EXTRADITION FROM THE U.S. OF
FOUR PIRA MEMBERS WHO ESCAPED FROM THE MAZE PRISON
IN NORTHERN IRELAND IN 1983. A COURT IN CALIFORNIA
REFUSED EXTRADITION OF THE FIRST OF THESE, JAMES
SMYTH, BUT AN APPEAL IS UNDER CONSIDERATION.

-- IN FEBRUARY, THE IRISH HIGH COURT REFUSED TO
EXTRADITE JOSEPH MAGEE, WANTED FOR THE 1992 MURDER
OF A BRITISH ARMY RECRUITING SERGEANT.

-- PKK LEADER KANI YILMAZ, ARRESTED IN LONDON IN
OCTOBER, IS RESISTING EXTRADITION TO GERMANY ON
ARSON CHARGES.

4. SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO HOST GOVERNMENT
PROSECUTION AND/OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS:

-- INTIMIDATION OF JUDGES, JURORS AND WITNESSES HAS
BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN NORTHERN IRELAND. AS
A RESULT, TRIALS OF TERRORIST SUSPECTS THERE ARE
CONDUCTED WITHOUT JURIES (IN "DIPLOCK COURTS"), AND
THE IDENTITY OF WITNESSES MAY BE WITHHELD FROM THE
DEFENSE.

-- QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RELIABILITY OF CONFESSION AND
FORENSIC EVIDENCE IN TRIALS OF IRA SUSPECTS IN
ENGLAND IN THE 1970'S CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE
PROSECUTORS NOT TO BRING CASES TO TRIAL UNLESS THE
EVIDENCE IS OVERWHELMING, AND MAKE JURORS RELUCTANT
TO CONVICT. CURRENT COURT GUIDELINES ENABLE A
JUDGE, AT HIS DISCRETION, TO REQUIRE DISCLOSURE TO
THE DEFENSE OF ALL EVIDENCE CONNECTED WITH THE
CASE, WHETHER OR NOT INTENDED FOR PROSECUTION USE.
POLICE HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO PROSECUTE CASES IN
WHICH INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS MIGHT THUS BE
COMPROMISED.

-- IN RECENT YEARS, PIRA HAS TRAINED ITS MEMBERS TO
REFUSE TO ANSWER ANY POLICE QUESTIONS, THEN SPRING
A SURPRISE ALIBI AT TRIAL; THIS HAS RESULTED IN
ACQUITTALS BEFORE POLICE WERE ABLE TO REFUTE THE
ALIBI. IN RESPONSE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS PASSED
LEGISLATION (IN NORTHERN IRELAND IN 1988, IN GREAT
BRITAIN IN 1994) ENABLING A JUDGE TO DIRECT THE
JURY THAT IT MAY DRAW AN INFERENCE OF GUILT FROM
REFUSAL TO ANSWER REASONABLE QUESTIONS.

-- WIRETAP EVIDENCE IS NOT ADMISSIBLE IN TRIALS IN THE
UK, SINCE WIRETAPS DO NOT REQUIRE JUDICIAL REVIEW.

5. RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECUTION:

-- HMG CONTINUED TO COOPERATE CLOSELY WITH THE USG IN
TRYING TO PERSUADE LIBYA TO SURRENDER FOR TRIAL THE
TWO SUSPECTS IN THE 1988 BOMBING OF PAN AM 103 AND
THE 1989 BOMBING OF UTA 772.

-- BRITISH OFFICIALS COOPERATED WITH U.S. AND
ARGENTINE AUTHORITIES IN INVESTIGATING THE BOMBING
OF A JEWISH CENTER IN BUENOS AIRES.

-- HMG CONDEMNED PALESTINIAN ATTACKS IN ISRAEL.

-- THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE
PROTECTION TO AUTHOR SALMAN RUSHDIE, AND TO DEMAND
THAT THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT LIFT THE THREAT TO HIS
LIFE.

6. MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS:

-- HMG AND THE IRISH GOVERNMENT COOPERATED IN APPLYING
PRESSURE TO PIRA AND LOYALIST TERRORISTS TO ACCEPT
THE DECEMBER 1993 DOWNING STREET DECLARATION AND
CEASE TERRORISM. SINCE THE CEASEFIRES, BRITISH
OFFICIALS HAVE ENTERED INTO EXPLORATORY DIALOGUE
WITH THE PARAMILITARIES, AND SOME RESTRICTIONS ON
THEIR FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MOVEMENT HAVE BEEN
LIFTED.

-- POLICE AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN NORTHERN IRELAND
CONTINUED TO CRACK DOWN ON LOYALIST AND REPUBLICAN
PROTECTION, FRAUD, SMUGGLING, MONEY-LAUNDERING AND
VIDEO PIRATING RACKETS, WHICH CONSTITUTE THE MAIN
SOURCES OF INCOME FOR TERRORIST GROUPS.

-- THE UK PARTICIPATES ACTIVELY IN INTERNATIONAL
COUNTERTERRORISM FORA, COORDINATING ITS ACTIVITIES
CLOSELY WITH THE U.S. AND OTHERS. IT ALSO PROVIDES
COUNTERTERRORISM ASSISTANCE AND EXPERTISE TO
NUMEROUS GOVERNMENTS ON A BILATERAL BASIS.

7. HOST GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM:

-- THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PROVIDES NO SUPPORT FOR ANY
INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, AND
COOPERATES CLOSELY WITH THE U.S. IN APPLYING
PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENTS THAT SUPPORT OR CONDONE
TERRORISM.

-- HMG CONTINUES TO RESIST PRESSURE FROM OTHERS IN
EUROPE TO RESTORE NORMAL RELATIONS WITH STATE
SPONSORS OF TERRORISM. IT HAS NO MISSION IN
BAGHDAD, TRIPOLI OR PYONGYANG, AND ONLY A SKELETON
STAFF IN TEHRAN.

-- SEVERAL GROUPS AFFILIATED WITH FOREIGN TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS MAINTAIN OFFICES IN THE UK, AND ARE
PERMITTED TO ENGAGE IN POLITICAL AND FUNDRAISING
ACTIVITIES AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT VIOLATE BRITISH
LAWS, BUT ARE CLOSELY MONITORED.

8. STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST-SUPPORTING
COUNTRY:

-- HMG HAS MADE NO SUCH STATEMENTS.

9. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES SINCE 1993 IN THE HOST
GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM:

-- APART FROM ITS LIMITED DIALOGUE WITH PARTIES
AFFILIATED WITH REPUBLICAN AND LOYALIST
PARAMILITARY GROUPS SINCE THEIR CEASEFIRES, THERE
HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN HMG'S ADAMANT OPPOSITION TO
TERRORISM IN ALL FORMS.

CROWE

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