Cablegate: Supporting Tunisia's Counter-Terrorism Effort: A

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTU #1194 3380854
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 030854Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5785
INFO RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
RUEPGCA/USEUCOM AIDES VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS TUNIS 001194

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR PM ASSISTANT SECRETARY MARK KIMMITT
STATE ALSO FOR NEA/FP, NEA/MAG (MNARDI, MHAYES) AND
PM/PPA (JKNOCH, CROSATI)
PASS DOD FOR AFRICOM SSP/SC (DCINNAMOND)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR PTER MASS KITA TS
SUBJECT: SUPPORTING TUNISIA'S COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORT: A
FY09 1206 PROPOSAL

REF: A. STATE 118337
B. PANNAMAN-CINNAMOND E-MAIL 31 NOVEMBER
C. STATE 84130
D. CINNAMOND-PANNAMAN E-MAIL OCTOBER 16

1. (SBU) As requested in Ref A Embassy Tunis submitted an
FY09 Section 1206 proposal to NEA/MAG and PM/PPA via e-mail
OI November 26. The proposal titled "Tunisian Intelligence,
Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) Capability," seeks to
provide approximately $8 million in immediate assistance to
the Tunisian Armed Forces, which have undertaken new and
expanded counter-terrorism activities on Tunisia's borders to
combat the threat posed by al-Qaeda in the Land of the
Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

2. (SBU) Specifically, the 1206 proposal seeks to respond to
Tunisian Air Force's need to conduct day/night air operations
to reduce availability of the border region to al-Qaeda
terrorists. In the proposal we recomment providing Tunisian
helicopter units with Forward Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR),
Radar Altimeters (RADAL), and Global Positioning Systems
(GPS)configured for use with night vision goggles - all of
which will be dedicated to supporting counter-terrorism
activities.

3. (SBU) I urge the Department and USAFRICOM to support this
proposal and continue to back the Tunisian Government's
efforts to combat the transnational terrorist threat posed by
AQIM. OSC Tunis sent the short-form to AFRICOM Security
Assistance Branch on 31 October, 2008 and the long-form on 13
November 2008.
Godec

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