US embassy cable - 03KAMPALA2587

UNCLAS  KAMPALA 002587 
 
 
STATE ALSO FOR S/CT - REAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, UG 
SUBJECT: UGANDA: 2003 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 301352 
 
1. Kampala's submission for the 2003 Annual Terrorism 
Report is keyed to reftel as follows: 
 
A) SIGNIFICANT ACTIONS TAKEN BY HOST GOVERNMENTS TO SUPPORT 
THE GLOBAL COALITION AGAINST TERRORISM, PARTICULARLY LAW 
ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS TAKEN AGAINST AL-QAIDA OPERATIVES, BUT 
INCLUDING DIPLOMTIC EFFORTS AND ACTIONS TO BLOCK TERROIRST 
ASSETS, ENACT NEW COUNTERTERROISM LAWS, AND RATIFY EXISTING 
TREATIES. 
 
The Ugandan Government stands firmly against terrorism, 
both local and international, and has consistently offered 
cooperation to support the global coalition against 
terrorism. In 2002, the Government enacted the Suppression 
of Terrorism Act, which imposes the death penalty for 
terrorists and potential death penalty for their sponsors 
and supporters. The Act's list of terrorist organizations 
currently includes Al Qa'eda, the Lord's Resistance Army 
(LRA), and the Allied Democratic Front (ADF). The GOU 
supports all 12 counterterrorism treaties and conventions 
and responded to UNSC 1373. It is currently working to 
ratify or adhere to those counterterrorism treaties and 
conventions not having force of law.  A new anti-money 
laundering bill is slated to go before Parliament for 
adoption in early 2004. 
 
B) DESCRIBE THE RESPONSE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF EACH 
COUNTRY TO ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND/OR 
SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM DURING 2003, 
INCLUDING ANY HOST GOVERNMENT PROSECTIONS RELATING TO 
TERRORISM. PARTICULAR ATTENTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO HOST 
GOVERNMENT ACTIONS REGARDING ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST OR 
AFFECTING U.S. CITIZENS OR FACILITIES. 
 
Uganda's judiciary had no explicit international terrorism 
cases in 2003. In the past, the ADF and some members of a 
radical faction of the Ugandan Muslim community have been 
accused of terrorist bombings in urban areas. In such 
cases, suspects have been arrested and prosecuted. There 
were no bombings in 2003, although there were many fatal 
attacks by the LRA against civilian targets in northern 
Uganda. There were no incidents of terrorist activity 
directed against or affecting U.S. citizens or interests in 
2003. 
 
C) DID THE HOST GOVERNMENT EXTRADITE OR REQUEST THE 
EXTRADITON OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS FOR PROSECTION DURING 
THE YEAR? PARTICULAR ATTENTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO HOST 
GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO U.S. REQUESTS FOR EXTRADITION OR 
ASSISTANCE IN TERRORIST CASES. 
 
The Government of Uganda did not extradite or request 
extradition of any terrorist suspects during the year. 
There are currently no extradition treaties in effect 
between the United States and Uganda. 
 
D) DESCRIBE ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO HOST GOVERNMENT 
PROSECTION AND /OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. 
 
The Government of Uganda's ability to respond effectively 
to terrorism is hampered by insufficient funding and 
inadequate training of its security forces and judiciary. 
Security organs generally coordinate poorly among 
themselves, although the situation is improving with donor 
assistance. Cases often languish in the judicial system and 
suspects can spend years waiting for trial, despite the 
best efforts of the government to reduce the backlog. There 
is no extradition treaty between the United States and 
Uganda and the lack could hinder effective U.S.-Uganda 
counter terrorism efforts in the future, but discussions 
were continuing between USG and GOU officials at year's 
end. 
 
E) DISCUSS HOST GOVERNMENT RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECTION. 
THESE WOULD INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, PUBLIC 
STATEMENTS BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OR OFFICIAL NEWS 
AGENCIES FOLLOWING A TERRORIST INCIDENT (IN OR OUTSIDE THE 
COUNTRY) AND EFFORTS BY HOST GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE 
TERRORIST INCIDENTS OR TO ASSIST WITH INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS. 
 
The Government of Uganda has consistently condemned 
terrorism, including the 1998 Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam 
Embassy bombings and the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. 
Uganda was one of only four sub-Saharan African countries 
to publicly support Coalition actions in Iraq. President 
Museveni regularly condemns attacks which intentionally 
target non-combatants. 
 
F) DESCRIBE MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN IN 
2003 BY THE HOST GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING STEPS TAKEN IN 
INTERNATIONAL FORA 
 
The Government of Uganda continued "Operation Iron Fist, an 
offensive launched in March 2002 to destroy the LRA in 
southern Sudan and northern Uganda. The LRA has 
successfully evaded capture and continues to carry out 
reprisals against civilians, even expanding attacks into 
eastern Uganda. At year's end, there were an estimated 1.4 
million internally displaced Ugandans, most of whom were 
dependent on humanitarian food assistance.  UN Under- 
Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland 
visited in November 2003.  He called the ongoing conflict 
in northern Uganda the "greatest humanitarian crisis in the 
world" that has not come to the attention of the 
international community. 
 
G) DESCRIBE ANY SIGNIFICANT HOST GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, TERRORIST, OR TERRORIST GROUPS, 
INCLUDING (BUT NOT LIMITED TO) POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL 
SUPPORT OF TERRORISTS OR THEIR ACTIVITIES; DIPLOMATIC 
SUPPORT THROUGH DIPLOMATIC RECGONITION;MISUSE OF THE 
DIPLOMATIC POUCH AND OTHER DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES TO SUPPORT 
TERRORISM; PROVISION OF SANCTUARY AND /OR PRESENCE OF 
OFFICES OF TERRORIST GROUPS; PROVISION OF TRAINING OR 
TRAINING SITES; PROVISION OF WEAPONS; AND POSITIONS TAKEN 
ON TERRORISM ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL FORA 
 
The Government of Uganda does not lend support to 
international terrorism or terrorist groups. 
 
H) HAS THE HOST GOVERNMENT MADE ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN 
SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM 
ISSUE? 
 
In 2003, the Government of Uganda made no public statements 
of support of a terrorist-supporting country on a terrorism 
issue. 
 
I) DESCRIBE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SINCE 2002, POSITIVE OR 
NEGATIVE, IN THE HOST GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE TOWARD 
TERRORISM, INTERNATIONAL OR DOMESTIC. WHAT IS RESPONSBIBLE 
FOR THIS CHANGE? 
 
There was no change in the Government's strong support 
against terrorism in 2003.