US embassy cable - 88LIMA4116

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIMA 04116 
 
DIA FOR OA-5/OS-1D/DB-6D2/JSI-4B/DB-3C1 
DEA FOR OF, PS, OC, OI 
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD JOHN YOULE 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL: 03/29/88 
TAGS:  PTER, PE 
SUBJECT:  PERU:  CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ON TERRORISM 
 
REF:  (A) STATE 42378 
-     (B) 87 LIMA 5659 
-     (C) 87 LIMA 6577 
 
1.  CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2.  FOLLOWING IS PERU PORTION OF DEPARTMENT\'S NEW 
ANNUAL REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM (REF A). 
REFS B AND C CONTAIN MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON 
PERUVIAN GUERRILLA GROUPS. 
 
3.  SINCE THE APPEARANCE OF TERRORISM IN 1980, 
TERRORIST ATTACKS AND GOVERNMENT RESPONSES HAVE 
RESULTED IN A DEATH TOLL ESTIMATED AT OVER 10,000. 
DURING 1987, PERU CONTINUED TO CONFRONT TWO SIGNIFICANT 
TERRORIST GROUPS.  THE LARGER GROUP, KNOWN AS 
\"SENDERO LUMINOSO\" (\"SHINING PATH\"), KILLED AT 
LEAST 600 PERSONS IN 1987.  ITS VICTIMS RANGED 
FROM PEASANT OPPONENTS TO GOVERNMENT AND PARTY 
OFFICIALS AND THE SECURITY FORCES.  IN ADDITION, 
SENDERO CARRIED OUT NUMEROUS BOMBINGS AND BLACKOUTS. 
DURING ONE BLACKOUT IN NOVEMBER 1987, SENDERO 
DETONATED A BOMB IN FRONT OF THE U.S. EMBASSY, 
CAUSING MINOR MATERIAL DAMAGE.  THE SMALLER  \"TUPAC 
AMARU REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT\" (MRTA) ALSO WAS ACTIVE 
DURING 1987, KILLING AS MANY AS 20 PERSONS AND 
CARRYING OUT NUMEROUS BOMBINGS.  THE MRTA ON 
SEVERAL OCCASIONS BOMBED THE USG INSTALLATIONS 
AND U.S. COMPANIES, CAUSING MINOR 
MATERIAL DAMAGES (BUT NO PERSONAL INJURIES).  NO 
FOREIGN TERRORIST GROUPS CARRIED OUT ATTACKS IN 
PERU. 
 
4.  THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO MAKE IMPORTANT ARRESTS 
OF ALLEGED TERRORISTS DURING 1987, INCLUDING HIGH- 
RANKING MEMBERS OF THE MRTA.  THE GOVERNMENT NONETHE- 
LESS WAS UNABLE TO WEAKEN SENDERO SIGNIFICANTLY, AND 
SENDERO APPEARS TO HAVE ENLARGED ITS AREA OF OPERATIONS 
DURING THE PAST YEAR.  PARTICULARLY WORRISOME IS 
SENDERO\'S EXPANSION INTO THE COCA-PRODUCING AREAS OF 
THE JUNGLE, LEADING THE GOVERNMENT TO CHARGE THAT 
SENDERO IS COOPERATING WITH NARCOTICS TRAFFICKERS. 
THIS IS PROBABLY TRUE IN SOME INSTANCES; IT IS 
CERTAINLY THE CASE THAT SENDERO HAS SOUGHT TO PORTRAY 
ITSELF AS DEFENDING PEASANT COCA GROWERS. 
 
5.  JUDICIAL EFFORTS AGAINST TERRORISM CONTINUE TO 
MOVE SLOWLY.  THERE IS A HUGE BACKLOG IN PERUVIAN 
COURTS, AND TERRORISM SUSPECTS FREQUENTLY ARE DETAINED 
FOUR YEARS PENDING TRIAL.  FEWER THAN 50 PERSONS WERE 
CONVICTED OF TERRORISM DURING 1987.  AMONG THE CASES 
CURRENTLY BEING TRIED ARE 15 PERSONS ACCUSED OF THE 
JUNE 26, 1986 BOMBING OF THE CUZCO TRAIN STATION, 
DURING WHICH TWO AMERICANS AND SEVEN OTHER FOREIGNERS 
WERE KILLED, AND SEVERAL AMERICANS WERE WOUNDED. 
 
6.  SENDERO DOES NOT APPEAR TO RECEIVE ANY SUPPORT 
FROM ANY FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OR FOREIGN TERRORIST 
GROUP.  THERE ARE REPORTS THAT PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS 
IN THE UNITED STATES AND SEVERAL WESTERN EUROPEAN 
COUNTRIES HAVE COLLECTED FUNDS ON BEHALF OF SENDERO, 
BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW THESE FUNDS ARE CHANNELED 
TO SENDERO.  THE INTERNATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT, 
A GROUP OF MAOIST PARTIES HEADQUARTERED IN LONDON, 
PERIODICALLY ISSUES MANIFESTOS SUPPORTING SENDERO. 
 
7.  CLAIMS OF CUBAN AND NICARAGUAN SUPPORT FOR THE 
MRTA SURFACE FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE PERUVIAN PRESS. 
THE GOVERNMENT HAS SHOWN THAT AT LEAST ONE MRTA 
LEADER TRAVELED RECENTLY TO NICARAGUA BUT HAS NOT 
DEMONSTRATED OR CLAIMED THAT THESE COUNTRIES PROVIDED 
ANY MATERIAL SUPPORT TO THE MRTA.  THE MRTA DOES HAVE 
CLOSE TIES TO THE M-19 TERRORISTS OF COLOMBIA AND 
THE ALFARO VIVE CARAJO OF ECUADOR.  IT IS LIKELY THAT 
THE MRTA HAS ACQUIRED ARMS FROM ONE OR BOTH OF THESE 
GROUPS. 
 
8.  PERU GIVES NO OFFICIAL RECOGNITION TO THE PLO, BUT 
THE PLO HAS HAD AN INFORMATION OFFICE IN PERU SINCE 1979. 
PERU DOES NOT ACCORD OFFICIAL STATUS TO THE SALVADORAN 
FMLN. 
 
9.  PERU RECEIVED NO EXTRADITION REQUESTS FOR TERRORISTS 
DURING 1987.  IN 1986, PERU DEPORTED TO ECUADOR AN 
ECUADOREAN CITIZEN ACCUSED BY HIS GOVERNMENT OF 
PARTICIPATING IN TERRORIST ACTIVITIES.  PERU DID NOT 
INITIATE ANY EXTRADITION REQUESTS FOR TERRORISM IN 
1987. 
 
10.  PERU HAS NOT ASSISTED, TRAINED, OR PROVIDED 
SANCTUARY TO FOREIGN TERRORISTS. 
 
WATSON