US embassy cable - 03ACCRA2208

UNCLAS ACCRA 002208 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, GH 
SUBJECT: GHANA: 2003 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 301352 
 
THE FOLLOWING RESPONSES ARE KEYED TO REFTEL PARAGRAPH 2: 
 
A.  SIGNIFICANT ACTIONS TO SUPPORT COALITION AGAINST 
TERRORISM: 

THE GOG PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY CONDEMNED THE SEPTEMBER 11, 
2001 ATTACKS AGAINST THE U.S., AND HAS REPEATEDLY EXPRESSED 
ITS SYMPATHY FOR VICTIMS OF THE ATTACKS SINCE THEN. 
HIGH-LEVEL DELEGATIONS ATTENDED THE MISSION'S THREE-MONTH, 
ONE-YEAR, AND TWO-YEAR COMMEMORATIVE CEREMONIES, THE FIRST 
TWO LED BY MUSLIM VICE PRESIDENT ALIU MAHAMA, THE LAST BY 
INTERIOR MINISTER HACKMAN OWUSU-AGYEMANG, WITH THE MINISTERS 
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE ALSO IN ATTENDANCE.  GHANAIAN 
SECURITY SERVICES CONTINUE THEIR CLOSE SUPPORT OF THE 
MISSION, FROM INCREASED INFORMATION-SHARING TO ENHANCED 
COMPOUND SECURITY.  THE GOVERNMENT LAST SUMMER ADOPTED THE 
REMAINING FIVE INTERNATIONAL ANTI-TERRORIST CONVENTIONS TO 
WHICH IT HAD NOT YET ACCEDED.  FOLLOWING MEETINGS IN THE 
SUMMER OF 2002 ON FIGHTING TERRORIST FINANCE, THE GOVERNMENT 
HAS BEGUN DRAFTING LOCAL LEGISLATION TO UPDATE ITS CRIMINAL 
CODE AND FINANCIAL MONITORING REGIMES.  RECENTLY THE 
GOVERNMENT BEGAN WORK ON AN EXTENSIVE OVERHAUL OF ITS ENTIRE 
BUDGETARY PROCESS, INVOLVING BOTH THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND 
THE CENTRAL BANK AS WELL AS LINE MINISTRIES, WHICH WILL 
ENHANCE INFORMATION-GATHERING CAPABILITIES ON FINANCIAL 
MATTERS.  ACCESS TO LOCAL FACILITIES BY U.S. AIR AND NAVAL 
ASSETS CONTINUES (WITH BOTH THE EVACUATION OF U.S. CITIZENS 
FROM COTE D'IVOIRE IN 2002, AND U.S. MILITARY FORWARD 
PLANNING FOR THE ECOWAS INTERVENTION IN LIBERIA THIS SUMMER, 
STAGED FROM ACCRA). 
 
B.  RESPONSE OF JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO ACTS OF 
INTERNATIONAL/DOMESTIC TERROR: 
 
THE GHANAIAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM DID NOT HAVE OCCASION TO RESPOND 
    TO ANY ACTS OF TERRORISM IN 2003. 
 
C.  EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS: 
 
THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY REQUESTS TO EXTRADITE, NOR 
REQUEST THE EXTRADITION OF, ANY SUSPECTED TERRORISTS IN 2003. 
 
D. SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO EXTRADITION: 
 
THERE ARE NO IMPEDIMENTS TO EXTRADITION OR PROSECUTION OF 
SUSPECTED TERRORISTS.  THE U.S. AND GHANA HAVE AN EXTRADITION 
TREATY. 
 
E.  HOST RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECUTION: 
 
SEE ANSWER TO ITEM A. 
 
F.  MAJOR COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS BY HOST GOVERNMENT: 
 
SEE ANSWER TO ITEM A. 
 
G.  HOST SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM: 
 
NONE. 
 
H.  HOST GOVERNMENT PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A 
TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM ISSUE: 
 
NONE. 
 
I.  CHANGES, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, IN HOST GOVERNMENT'S 
    ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM SINCE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
 
THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES ITS CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE 
MISSION ON ANTI-TERROR ISSUES. 
 
 
YATES