Cablegate: Morocco - 1998 Annual Terrorism Report

P 301040Z NOV 98
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0120

UNCLAS RABAT 007515

STATE FOR S/CT FOR REAP, DS FOR ATA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER
SUBJECT: MOROCCO - 1998 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

REF: STATE 202128

1. PER DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE, THE FOLLOWING IS KEYED TO
REFTEL AND CONSTITUTES POST'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE
ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT.

A. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACTS OF TERRORISM DIRECTED AGAINST
UNITED STATES (U.S.) CITIZENS OR U.S. GOVERNMENT
(USG) FACILITIES IN MOROCCO. THE GOVERNMENT OF
MOROCCO (GOM) HAS BEEN QUICK TO ADDRESS POST'S REAL
OR PERCEIVED SECURITY CONCERNS AND PROVIDED
ADDITIONAL SECURITY DETAILS FOLLOWING THE TWIN
EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN EAST AFRICA. THE MOST RECENT
ACT OF INTERNATIONAL VIOLENCE PERPETRATED IN THE
KINGDOM OF MOROCCO OCCURRED AT A TOURIST HOTEL IN
MARRAKECH IN 1994; SUSPICIONS REMAINS THAT IT WAS
PLANNED AND EXECUTED IN PART BY ALGERIAN EXTREMISTS.

B. THE GOM EXTRADITED NO TERRORISTS IN 1998.

C. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NOT AN EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN
THE USG AND GOM, POST DOES NOT PERCEIVE THERE WOULD
BE ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO GOM PROSECUTION
AND/OR EXTRADITION OF KNOWN TERRORISTS THAT ARE NOT
MOROCCAN NATIONALS.

D. THE GOM TRADITIONALLY ISSUES PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN
OPPOSITION TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND ITS
OFFICIAL NEWS AGENCIES RECENTLY AVOIDED OR TEMPERED
THEIR RESPONSES TO USG REPRISAL MISSILE ATTACKS
AGAINST AFGHANISTAN AND THE SUDAN AFTER ALLEGATIONS
THAT USAMA BIN LADIN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE U.S.
EMBASSY BOMINGS IN EAST AFRICA.

E. THE GOM HAS UNDERTAKEN NO MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM (CT)
EFFORTS IN 1998, LOCALLY OR INTERNATIONALLY.

F. THE GOM DOES NOT SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM,
TERRORISTS, OR TERRORIST GROUPS.

G. THE GOM HAS NOT ISSUED ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN
SUPPORT OF THE SEVEN TERRORIST-SUPPORTING NATIONS.

H. THERE HAS BEEN NO GOM CHANGE IN ATTITUDE TOWARDS
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM OR ITS SUPPORTERS.

I. THE USG AND GOM ARE FULLY COOPERATIVE ON
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND REGIONAL CT EFFORTS.

J. DURING THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS, THE USG HAS NOT
SOUGHT GOM SUPPORT IN THE INVESTIGATION OR
PROSECUTION OF AN ACT OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS OR U.S. INTERESTS.

K. DURING THE FIVE PREVIOUS YEARS, THE USG HAS NOT
SOUGHT GOM SUPPORT IN THE PREVENTION OF AN ACT OF
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS OR U.S.
INTERESTS.

GABRIEL

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