Cablegate: Namibia: 2009 Country Report On Terrorism

VZCZCXRO6248
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHWD #0440 3371005
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031005Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0888
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000440

SIPDIS

S/CT RHONDA SHORE, NCTC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS PINS PREL AEMR WA
SUBJECT: NAMIBIA: 2009 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM

REF: SECSTATE 109980

1. (U) Namibia enjoys a low terrorism threat. No acts of
international or domestic terrorism took place in Namibia in
2009.

2. (U) In 2009, the Government of Namibia (GRN) passed (but
has not yet enacted) the Communications Bill, which allows
intelligence services to monitor emails and Internet usage
with the authorization of any magistrate. The legislation
also allows for the interception of phone calls and text
messages. Per post's 2008 counterterrorism report, the Drug
Control Bill and the Antiterrorism Bill were not enacted
during the reporting period, although the latter-- which
prohibits persons from providing any support for the
commission of terrorist acts and prescribes tough penalties--
is expected to be passed in 2010. Namibia is a member of the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African
Union, which occasionally engage in discussions on
counterterrorism and border security. The Ministry of Home
Affairs took some steps to improve border security, namely
computerizing 75 percent of its border control management
system to better track port of entry arrivals and departures.
The Ministry of Home Affairs plans to complete this process
in early 2010.

3. (U) No legal cases related to terrorism or terrorist
financing were prosecuted by the GRN in 2009. There were no
new extradition requests from the United States to Namibia or
vice versa. Namibia and the United States do not have a
treaty on extradition, however in 2006, President Pohamba
issued a proclamation related to the Extradition Act, which
designated the United States as a country to which
extraditions are permitted.

4. (U) There is no evidence that Namibia provides safe haven
to terrorists.

3. (U) Embassy point of contact is Poloff Emily Plumb at
plumbea@state.gov
MATHIEU

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