US embassy cable - 99KINSHASA7954

UNCLAS KINSHASA 007954 
 
S/CT FOR REAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, CG 
SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO:  1999 ANNUAL 
TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 204472 
 
THE FOLLOWING RESPONSES ARE KEYED TO QUESTIONS IN PARAGRAPH 3 
OF REFTEL (NOTE: OUR RECORDS ARE LIMITED AFTER THE EVACUATION 
IN 1998. END NOTE): 
 
A.  THE ONLY TERRORIST EVENT IN 1999 WITH A CONGO CONNECTION 
WAS UGANDA'S BWINDI NATIONAL PARK HOSTAGE-TAKING AND MURDERS 
IN FEBRUARY/MARCH (ALLEGED GUERRILLAS KIDNAPPED US AND OTHER 
WESTERN TOURISTS IN UGANDA AND REPORTEDLY BROUGHT THEM TO 
CONGOLESE TERRITORY).  THE GDRC IMMEDIATELY PLEDGED ITS FULL 
SUPPORT IN THE INVESTIGATION AND CONDEMNED THE ATTACK.  IN 
THE END, LITTLE REAL ACTION WAS TAKEN SINCE THE ATTACKERS 
ESCAPED INTO REBEL-OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. 
 
B.  THE GDRC DID NOT EXTRADITE SUSPECTED TERRORISTS IN 1999. 
 
C.  IN GENERAL, THE DRC'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS NON-FUNCTIONING. 
THE COURT SYSTEM LACKS EVERYTHING FROM TRAINED JUDGES, TO 
LEGAL TEXTS, TO CHAIRS.  A MILITARY TRIBUNAL HAS DISPENSED 
SWIFT AND ARBITRARY "JUSTICE" IN CIVILIAN CASES SINCE THE WAR 
BEGAN IN AUGUST, 1998. 
 
D.  IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF THE BWINDI PARK INCIDENT, 
THE GDRC OFFERED THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE INVESTIGATION AND MADE 
PUBLIC STATEMENTS CONDEMNING THE ATTACK. 
 
E. THERE WERE NO MAJOR PUBLIC COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS TAKEN 
BY THE GDRC IN 1999. 
 
F. THE GDRC DOES NOT SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. 
 
G. THE GDRC MAINTAINS RELATIONS WITH SEVERAL NATIONS 
DESIGNATED AS SPONSORS OF TERRORISM, INCLUDING CUBA, IRAN, 
LIBYA, NORTH KOREA, AND SUDAN.  DURING 1999, PRESIDENT KABILA 
MADE SEVERAL TRIPS TO LIBYA.  LIBYANS, IRANIANS, NORTH 
KOREANS AND SUDANESE ARE PRESENT IN THE DRC.  IT IS UNCLEAR 
HOW MUCH "SUPPORT" THE GDRC GIVES THESE COUNTRIES, BUT THEY 
HAVE ALL OFFERED ASSISTANCE TO THE GDRC. 
 
H.  THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN THE GDRC'S ATTITUDE TOWARD 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IN 1999. 
 
I.  GDRC FAILED TO PROVIDE PROMISED INCREASED EMBASSY 
SECURITY DURING THE PERIOD OF HEIGHTENED PRECAUTIONS 
SURROUNDING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE EMBASSY BOMBINGS AUGUST 7, 
1999. 
 
J.  NONE THAT WE KNOW OF. 
 
1.  N/A. 
 
2.  NONE THAT WE KNOW OF. 
 
K.  NONE THAT WE KNOW OF. 
 
SWING