Cablegate: Thailand: 2005 Country Reports On Terrorism

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 007729

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR S/CT (SHORE, SALAZAR) AND NCTC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC TH
SUBJECT: THAILAND: 2005 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

REF: STATE 193439

GENERAL ASSESSMENT
------------------

1. (U) In 2005, Thailand continued to support domestic and
international counterterrorism efforts. Thailand is a major
beneficiary of US anti-terrorism assistance, with numerous
Thai police and security officials participating in
US-sponsored training courses.

2. (U) There were no acts of international terrorism in
Thailand in 2005. Thailand's biggest domestic security
challenge is the ongoing insurgency in the far southern part
of the country. This region, bordering Malaysia, has
experienced episodic separatist related violence for decades.
Since January 2004, however, there has been a dramatic
increase in the level of violence which has continued
throughout 2005. Press reports indicate that over 1,000
persons have been killed either by militants or by security
forces during this two-year period. Suspected separatist
militants have attacked symbols of Thai and Buddhist
authority, Buddhist civilians, and Muslims suspected of
collaborating with the Government. There continue to be near
daily incidents of violence.

3. (U) There are no indications that transnational
terrorist groups are directly involved in the violence and
there is no current evidence of direct operational links
between southern Thai separatist groups and regional terror
networks. Overall, the RTG maintains that the situation
remains a domestic issue. However, elements of the Royal
Thai Government (RTG) have expressed public concern that
militants involved in the violence may have received funding
and training from outside Thailand. Additionally, relations
between Thailand and Malaysia have been strained as the
violence continues in Thai territory near their common
border. The ongoing unrest has drawn increasing
international attention as well as the concern of
international Islamic organizations. In March 2005, in
response to the violence, the Indonesian-based Nahdlatul
Ulama Islamic organization sent a delegation to Thailand, and
in June 2005 the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC)
sent a fact-finding delegation to study the underlying causes
of the violence.

4. (U) Thailand's law enforcement and judicial system has
struggled at times to combat the southern insurgency. Police
forensics and ballistics work has often failed to produce
evidence that leads to arrests following insurgent attacks
and RTG prosecutors have struggled to develop cases that can
stand up in court, leading to low public confidence in the
authorities. In June 2005 four southern Thai Muslims,
accused of having links with Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), were
acquitted by a Bangkok court because of a lack of evidence.
In February 2004, the RTG created the National Coordinating
Center for Combating Terrorism and Transnational Crime
(NCC-CTTC) in order to improve CT coordination between
intelligence, police, and the military.

SANCTUARY ASSESSMENT
--------------------

5. (U) During 2005 there was no direct evidence that
Thailand served as a sanctuary/safe haven for terrorists or
terrorist organizations. Thai security forces cooperate with
the US and other countries to deny safe haven for terrorists
within their territory. In the past, Thailand has served as
a transit point for regional terrorists, as evidenced by the
2003 capture of Nurjaman Riduan bin Isomuddin (a.k.a.
Hambali) in Thailand. However, there is no current evidence
to indicate a continued presence of transnational terrorists
in Thailand.

6. (U) Thai officials have expressed concern that
transnational terror groups could establish links with
southern Thailand-based separatist groups. However, there is
no current evidence that the groups have established links or
that Thai separatist are seeking direct assistance from
international terror groups. The US and Thailand are
cooperating to improve border security. As part of the USG's
Terrorism Interdiction Program, we are providing Thailand
with a customized border control computer network system
known as PISCES (Personal Identification Secure Comparison
and Evaluation System). The program became operational at
Thailand's three main international airports (Bangkok, Chiang
Mai and Phuket) in September 2005. Installation at fifty-six
additional border posts and crossing points is expected by
the end of 2006.

INFORMATION ON TERRORIST GROUPS
-------------------------------

7. (U) There is no current direct evidence that regional or
transnational terror groups such as Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) or
Al-Qaida are operating in Thailand. There remain in Thailand
several Thai JI associates who have provided financial and
logistics support to JI fugitive leaders and operatives.
Since Hambali's capture in 2003, there has been no indication
that these Thai nationals have any form of contact with JI.
Thailand does not have any indigenous terrorist groups.
However, there are several domestic militant separatist
groups that have been implicated in the ongoing unrest in the
far southern Muslim majority provinces of Narathiwat, Yala,
and Pattani as well as several districts of Songkhla
province. These organizations include the Pattani United
Liberation Organization (PULO), Barasi Revolusi Nasional
(BRN) and Pattani Islamic Mujahideen Movement (GMIP).

8. (U) These separatist groups may share a basic ideology
and general rejection of Western influence held by
international Islamic terrorists, but by all indications they
remained focused primarily on seeking autonomy or
independence for the far southern provinces. During 2005,
separatist militants conducted attacks that included
coordinated bombing attacks using IEDs (usually triggered
with a cell phone), shootings, and beheadings. There is no
evidence that foreign governments provide financial,
military, or diplomatic support for Thai separatist groups
and no indication these groups would attempt an act of
international terrorism.

FOREIGN GOVERNMENT COOPERATION
------------------------------

9. (U) The Thai government works closely with the US and
other international partners on counterterrorism. The US and
Thai militaries conduct a large number of joint exercises and
training programs that support CT objectives. The US and
Thailand are working on a joint effort to create a National
Training Facility (NTF) that will provide field training for
Thai military and police units involved in counter terror
operations. We will also seek to increase our cooperation on
Maritime Security and port security issues both in the Gulf
of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. The State Department, under
the Diplomatic Security Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA)
Program, continues to provide a robust training program for
Thai CT and police units. Bangkok's International Law
Enforcement Academy (ILEA) is a center for law enforcement
skills training that is also useful to CT efforts. Under the
auspices of the Container Security Initiative (CSI), we
continue to work closely with the Thais on a range of port
security programs. Thailand also works with international
partners to eliminate financial support networks for
terrorists.

10. (U) The RTG has been an active participant in
international CT efforts, however, there are areas of
concern. Thailand is currently party to only five of the 13
UN conventions and protocols relating to terrorism. The Thai
government has given oral commitments to acceding to the
remaining eight UN conventions and protocols. Thailand has
not endorsed the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), a
key objective given Thailand's regional leadership role and
strategic location. Thailand also remains an international
center for document fraud. The RTG has engaged with the G-8
Counterterrorism Action Group (CTAG) on increasing penalties
for document fraud, but proposed legislation has yet to be
passed.

11. (U) Embassy point of contact is Colin Crosby, political
officer. EMAIL: CrosbyC@state.sgov.gov (classified)
CrosbyCT2@state.gov (unclass).
BOYCE

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