US embassy cable - 99LONDON10405

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LONDON 010405 
 
S/CT FOR REAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, UK 
SUBJECT: UNITED KINGDOM: 1999 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 204472 
 
 
1.  THE UNITED KINGDOM IS ONE OF THE UNITED STATES' CLOSEST ALLIES 
AND PARTNERS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.  IT 
ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTES TO THE WORK OF INTERNATIONAL BODIES, 
INCLUDING THE UN, THE GROUP OF EIGHT (G8), AND THE EUROPEAN UNION 
IN PROMOTING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGAINST TERRORISM.  IN 
DECEMBER, THE BLAIR GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED A NEW, PERMANENT, UK- 
WIDE ANTI-TERRORISM LAW TO REPLACE LAWS WHICH HAD BEEN ADOPTED 
OVER THE YEARS IN RESPONSE TO TERRORISM RELATING TO NORTHERN 
IRELAND.  THE LAW INCLUDES MEASURES TO COMBAT INTERNATIONAL AND 
DOMESTIC TERRORISM. 
 
A)  RESPONSE OF UK JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM: DURING 1999, HMG INVOKED EXISTING COUNTERTERRORISM 
LEGISLATION TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST AND/OR PROSECUTED A NUMBER OF 
INDIVIDUALS SUSPECTED OF INVOLVEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. 
IN FEBRUARY, 79 INDIVIDUALS WERE ARRESTED UNDER THE PREVENTION OF 
TERRORISM ACT AFTER ILLEGALLY OCCUPYING THE GREEK EMBASSY IN 
LONDON IN PROTEST AT THE ARREST IN ATHENS OF PKK LEADER OCALAN. 
THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CHARGED AND CONVICTED UNDER 
THE HMG'S PUBLIC ORDER ACT.   IN MARCH, THREE ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS, 
ABU HAMZA, AL SIRRI AND 'FRANK', WERE ARRESTED UNDER THE 
PREVENTION OF TERRORISM ACT.  THE POLICE INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED 
IN NOVEMBER, AND BAIL CONDITIONS WERE DROPPED.  IN JULY, TWO 
EGYPTIANS, ABDEL ALMAGID BARY AND IBRAHIM HUSSEIN ABDEL HADI 
EIDAROUS, WERE ARRESTED IN RESPONSE TO A U.S. REQUEST FOR THEIR 
EXTRADITION.  THEY REMAIN IN DETENTION PENDING THE COMPLETION OF 
THIS PROCESS. 
 
IN DECEMBER, THE SCOTTISH JUDGE IN THE TRIAL OF TWO LIBYANS 
ACCUSED OF THE 1988 LOCKERBIE BOMBING RULED AGAINST DEFENSE 
MOTIONS THAT CONSPIRACY TO MURDER CHARGES AGAINST THE DEFENDANTS 
BE DROPPED.  AS A RESULT, THE ACCUSED WILL BE TRIED FOR MURDER, 
BREACH OF THE UK AVIATION SECURITY ACT, AND CONSPIRACY.  THE 
RULING OPENS THE WAY FOR THE BROADEST POSSIBLE AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE 
TO BE PUT BEFORE THE COURT AS PART OF THE TRIAL, WHICH IS 
SCHEDULED FOR MAY 2000. 
 
B)  UK RECORD OF EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS:  THE UK IS 
COOPERATING FULLY WITH THE U.S. REQUEST FOR EXTRADITION OF THREE 
OF THE FIFTEEN INDIVIDUALS INDICTED IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF 
NEW YORK ON TERRORISM-RELATED CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE 1998 
EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN NAIROBI AND DAR ES SALAAM.  KAHLID AL-FAWWAZ, 
WHO SERVED AS USAMA BIN LADEN'S DE FACTO SPOKESPERSON IN THE UK, 
IS IN DETENTION PENDING EXTRADITION PROCEEDINGS IN RESPONSE TO A 
U.S. REQUEST.  TWO EGYPTIANS, ABEL MOHAMMED ABDUL ALMAGID BARY AND 
IBRAHIM HUSSEIN ABDEL HADI EIDAROUS, ALSO REMAIN IN DETENTION 
PENDING EXTRADITION PROCEEDINGS TO THE U.S.  IN ADDITION TO THESE 
CASES, HMG IS COOPERATING WITH A FRENCH REQUEST TO EXTRADITE A 
SUSPECTED GIA MEMBER, ALGERIAN RAMDA. 
 
C)  IMPEDIMENTS TO UK PROSECUTION OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED 
TERRORISTS:  IT IS HMG POLICY TO PROSECUTE AND/OR EXTRADITE 
SUSPECTED TERORISTS.  HMG PURSUED THIS POLICY WITHIN THE CONTEXT 
OF THE 1951 UN CONVENTION ON REFUGEES AND THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION 
ON HUMAN RIGHTS (ECHR).  THE 1996 ECHR JUDGEMENT IN THE CASE OF 
THE SIKH TERRORIST CHAHAL ESTABLISHED CRITERIA TO BE MET IN CASES 
OF POSSIBLE DEPORTATION. 
 
THE HOME SECRETARY ANNOUNCED IN PARLIAMENT ON JUNE 23, 1999 THAT A 
TECHNICAL ERROR MADE DURING THE ANNUAL RENEWAL OF THE PROTECTION 
OF TERRORISM ACTION MEANT THAT SECTION 16 OF THE ACT HAD NOT BEEN 
IN FORCE FOR A PERIOD FROM MARCH 1998 TO JUNE 1999.  THIS 
TECHNICAL ERROR RESULTING IN THE INDICTMENT AGAINST SUSPECTED GIA 
MEMBER RECHACHI BEING QUASHED. 
 
D)  UK RESPONSES TO TERRORIST INCIDENTS:  HMG CONSISTENTLY 
CONDEMNS ALL ACTS OF TERRORISM.  IT MADE A NUMBER OF STATEMENTS IN 
1999 ON SPECIFIC INTERNATIONAL INCIDENTS INCLUDING THE KIDNAP AND 
MURDER OF BRITISH AND OTHER TOURISTS IN UGANDA IN MARCH 1999, AND 
THE KIDNAP AND MURDER OF BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERS IN 
CHECHNYA IN 1998. 
 
THE UK ACTIVELY SUPPORTS BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL INFORMATION- 
SHARING AND COOPERATION TO COMBAT TERRORISM.  IT PROVIDES 
BILATERAL COUNTERTERRORISM ASSISTANCE TO SEVERAL COUNTRIES. 
 
E) MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN BY THE UK IN 1999, 
INCLUDING IN INTERNATIONAL FORA: ON DECEMBER 2, THE GOVERNMENT 
INTRODUCED MAJOR NEW COUNTERTERRORISM LEGISLATION.  THE 
LEGISLATION WILL REFORM AND EXTEND LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED OVER 
THE YEARS IN RESPONSE TO TERRORIST THREATS AND INCIDENTS IN 
NORTHERN IRELAND.  THE GOVERNMENT EXPECTS THE NEW LAW TO BE PASSED 
BY PARLIAMENT AND GIVEN ROYAL ASSENT BY AUGUST 24, 2000, WHEN ONE 
OF THE EXISTING LAWS, THE EMERGENCY PROVISIONS ACT (EPA) WILL 
AUTOMATICALLY BE REPEALED.  PROVISIONS IN THE EPA THAT APPLY 
SPECIFICALLY TO NORTHERN IRELAND WILL BE EXTENDED UNDER THE NEW 
LAW, BUT ONLY FOR A PERIOD LIMITED TO FIVE YEARS. 
 
THE NEW LAW IS MEANT TO BE PERMANENT, COMPREHENSIVE, AND UK-WIDE. 
IT DOES DISTINGUISH BETWEEN DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM 
AND DEFINES TERRORISM TO INCLUDE "VIOLENCE, INCLUDING ELECTRONIC, 
MEANT TO INTIMIDATE OR COERCE THE GOVERNMENT OR PUBLIC FOR 
POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS, OR IDEOLOGICAL ENDS."  THE LAW WILL EXTEND 
PROSCRIPTIVE POWERS, CURRENTLY APPLIED TO TERRORIST GROUPS IN 
NORTHERN IRELAND, TO A BROADER LIST OF INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC 
ORGANIZATIONS.  THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS THE LAW TO STRENGTHEN 
CURRENT PROVISIONS DESIGNED TO PREVENT UK FINANCING OR FINANCIAL 
MECHANISMS BEING USED TO SUPPORT TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS OR 
ACTIVITIES ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. 
 
THE PRINCIPAL INTERNATIONAL FORA IN WHICH THE UK HAS BEEN ACTIVE 
ON TERRORISM ISSUES IN 1999 HAVE BEEN THE UN, THROUGH THE SIXTH 
COMMITTEE, THE SECURITY COUNCIL AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND ALSO 
THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE G8.  THE UK PROVIDED STRONG LEADERSHIP 
ON ANTITERRORISM ISSUES WHILE IT LED THE G8 DURING 1998.  IT 
SUPPORTED THE SEPTEMBER 23 STATEMENT BY THE FIVE PERMANENT MEMBERS 
OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON COMBATING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.  IT 
HAS COOPERATED FULLY WITH UNSC RESOLUTIONS MEANT TO COMBAT 
TERRORISM.  THESE INCLUDE RESOLUTION 1267 (ON SANCTIONS AGAINST 
THE TALIBAN) AND RESOLUTION 1269 (ON TERRORISM). 
 
THE UK HAS RATIFIED TEN OF THE UN CONVENTIONS ON TERRORISM.  IT 
SIGNED THE ELEVENTH, THE CONVENTION ON THE SUPPRESSION OF 
TERRORIST BOMBING, IN JANUARY 1998 AND EXPECTS TO RATIFY THAT 
CONVENTION IN 2000, BASED ON THE NEW COUNTERTERRORISM LEGISLATION 
WHICH SHOULD BE PASSED BY MID-YEAR.  THE UK EXPECTS TO SIGN THE 
CONVENTION ON TERRORISM FINANCING AS SOON AS IT IS OPENED IN 
JANUARY AND TO RATIFY AS SOON AFTERWARDS AS POSSIBLE. 
 
F)  POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, 
TERRORISTS, OR TERRORIST GROUPS:  HMG DOES NOT SUPPORT 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, TERRORISTS, OR TERRORIST GROUPS.  IT IS 
COMMITTED TO PREVENTING THE UK BEING USED AS A BASE FOR TERRORISM. 
THE POLICE AND SECURITY SERVICE GIVE PRIORITY TO COUNTERING ANY 
POSSIBLE TERRORIST ACTIVITIES IN THE UK BY INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISTS, INCLUDING THE ORGANIZATION AND FUNDING OF TERRORIST 
ATTACKS ABROAD.  INFORMATION ABOUT TERRORISM OR SUPPORT FOR 
TERRORISM IS FULLY INVESTIGATED.  WHERE THERE IS CAUSE TO BELIEVE 
THAT UK LAWS MAY HAVE BEEN VIOLATED, INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS ARE 
PROSECUTED. 
 
G)  PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRIES 
ON A TERRORISM ISSUE:  THE UK HAS NOT MADE ANY STATEMENTS IN 
SUPPORT OF U.S.-DESIGNATED STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM ON 
TERRORISM-RELATED ISSUES.  DURING 1999, HMG RESTORED FORMAL 
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THREE COUNTRIES ON THE U.S. LIST OF 
TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRIES, IRAN, SUDAN AND LIBYA. 
 
H)  SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN HMG'S ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM: THERE 
HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN HMG'S ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM DURING 1999. 
THE UK REMAINS RESOLUTELY OPPOSED TO TERRORISM IN ALL FORMS, 
WHATEVER ITS MOTIVATION.  HAVING USED ITS CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE G8 
AND PRESIDENCY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION IN 1998 TO HIGHLIGHT AND 
PROVIDE LEADERSHIP ON TERRORISM ISSUES, THE UK IS NOW ENCOURAGING 
OTHER COUNTRIES TO ASSUME A LEADERSHIP ROLE. 
 
I)  U.S. COUNTERTERRORISM INITIATIVES PURSUED IN CONJUNCTION WITH 
HMG:  THE UK COOPERATES CLOSELY WITH THE U.S. AT ALL LEVELS ON 
COUNTERTERRORISM POLICY AND ACTIVITIES, BOTH BILATERALLY AND 
THROUGH INTERNATIONAL FORA.  WHEN TERRORISM ISSUES COME BEFORE THE 
UN OR ARE ADDRESSED BY THE G8, THE UK CLOSELY COORDINATES ITS 
VIEWS WITH THE U.S. 
 
THE UK AND THE U.S. CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER TO BRING TO 
JUSTICE THE TWO LIBYANS ACCUSED OF BOMBING PAN AM FLIGHT 102 OVER 
LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND IN 1988.  IN AUGUST 1988, THE U.S. AND UK 
INTRODUCED A JOINT INITIATIVE, WHICH WOULD PERMIT THE ACCUSED TO 
BE TRIED BEFORE A SCOTTISH COURT SITUATED IN THE NETHERLANDS.  AS 
A RESULT OF THIS JOINT EFFORT, IN APRIL 1999, THE GOVERNMENT OF 
LIBYA HANDED OVER THE ACCUSED TO THE UN TO AWAIT TRIAL UNDER TERMS 
OF THE INITIATIVE.  THE TRIAL, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN ON MAY 
3, 2000, WILL ALLOW THE ACCUSED TO BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.  HMG AND 
THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH U.S. OFFICIALS 
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ON ALL 
ASPECTS OF PLANNING, INCLUDING LEGAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, SUPPORT FOR 
VICTIMS' FAMILIES AND PUBLIC/PRESS RELATIONS. 
 
J)  COOPERATION WITH THE U.S. IN THE INVESTIGATION OR PROSECUTION 
OF AN ACT OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS OR 
INTERESTS:  THE UNITED KINGDOM IS ONE OF THE UNITED STATES' 
CLOSEST ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM.  THIS PARTNERSHIP IS REFLECTED IN CLOSE COOPERATION IN 
MEASURES TO PREVENT TERRORISM AND IN RESPONSES TO TERRORISTS ACTS. 
THE U.S. AND UK PARTICIPATE IN REGULAR BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS AND 
JOINT ACTIVITIES. 
 
THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE UK PROVED TO BE 
INVALUABLE TO THE USG IN ITS INVESTIGATION INTO USAMA BIN LADEN 
AND HIS AL-QAEDA ORGANIZATION.  THE U.S. AND UK CONTINUE TO WORK 
CLOSELY TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT KHALID AL-FAWWAZ, ABDEL MOHAMMED 
ABDUL ALMAGID BARY, AND IBRAHIM EIDAROUS, ALL OF WHOM HAVE 
INDICTED IN THE U.S. ON TERRORISM-RELATED CHARGES, ARE 
SUCCESSFULLY EXTRADITED. 
 
THE UK CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE U.S. IN ITS EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE 
SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION OF ABDELBASET ALI MOHMED AL MEGRAHI AND AL 
AMIN KHALIFA FHIMAH, WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED IN THE BOMBING OF PAN 
AM FLIGHT 102 OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND IN 1998. 
 
THE UK CONTINUES TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE U.S. IN THE 
INVESTIGATION INTO THE KIDNAPPING AND MURDER OF U.S. AND BRITISH 
CITIZENS IN YEMEN IN DECEMBER 1998. 
 
K)  COOPERATION WITH THE U.S. IN PREVENTING ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM: THE U.S. AND THE UK LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE 
AGENCIES MAINTAIN A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP IN ORDER TO PREVENT 
ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS AND/OR INTERESTS IN THE 
UK.  THIS COOPERATION EXTENDS TO UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF 
INFORMATION-SHARING.  THE UK HAS ASSISTED THE U.S. IN ITS 
INVESTIGATION INTO TERRORIST ACTS IN SCOTLAND, KENYA, TANZANIA, 
AND YEMEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO ASSIST THE U.S. AND UK IN THEIR 
EFFORTS TO PREVENT FUTURE ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS 
AND/OR INTERESTS. 
 
LADER