US embassy cable - 04BRASILIA2453

UNCLAS BRASILIA 002453 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS 
STATE FOR S/CT, INL/C, IO/PHO 
TREASURY FOR OFAC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC, PREL, BR, EFIN KTFN KVPR PTER, Terrorist Finance 
SUBJECT: BRASILIA TERRORISM FINANCE COORDINATION OFFICER 
 
REF: STATE 201391 
 
1. (U) Per Reftel, Brasilia's Terrorism Finance Coordination 
Officer (TFCO) is DCM Phil Chicola.  The TFCO Deputy is Econ 
Officer J. Andrew Plowman.  The following answers are keyed 
to the questions in reftel paragraph 5. 
 
a) Contact Information: DCM Chicola: (55-61) 312-7445; 
ChicolaPT@state.gov.  Econ Officer Plowman: (55-61) 312- 
7470.  PlowmanJA@state.gov 
 
b) (SBU) Terrorism Finance is included in the monthly 
Homeland Security Working Group (HSWG) meetings, chaired by 
the DCM or by NAS. 
 
c) (SBU) The HSWG brings together law enforcement and policy 
agencies at post to exchange information, including about TF- 
related training programs and exchanges.  The Deputy TFCO 
has created and maintains a database of these programs as a 
reference, based in part on the information exchanged in the 
HSWG meetings.  Post has found it useful to hold its Visas 
Viper Committee meetings at the same time. 
 
d) (SBU) Post has found the circulation by cable of the 
informal TF Coalition-building sub-group meeting minutes to 
be a useful tool for understanding what Washington is 
thinking.  We encourage more of this informal exchange, 
including information on other meetings. 
 
e) (SBU) TF is not sufficiently on the radar screen with the 
public in Brazil.  With an eye to public affairs on this 
topic, this embassy would like to place one or more 
authoritative opinion pieces over the bylines of relevant 
senior officials in the Brazilian media.  Post also is 
planning the use of International Visitor and Voluntary 
Visitor grants in the education of relevant high-level 
embassy contacts. 
 
f) (U) Neither the TFCO nor his Deputy have received TF 
training. 
 
g) (SBU) Post continues to work with an S/CT allotment 
(administered by INL/C) and in cooperation with the OAS to 
assist in the modernization of Brazil's financial 
intelligence unit, COAF.  We have delivered analytical 
software and some computer equipment to COAF under this 
effort, and OAS will be providing training.  Since COAF is 
but a small part of the anti-terror finance process in 
Brazil, Post continues to believe it would be beneficial to 
use some of the remaining monies under this allotment in 
ways that would foster interagency cooperation among the 
relevant Brazilian agencies, an acknowledged weakness in 
their system.  Potential uses include providing training or 
exchanges for an interagency group.  Post requests 
Washington flexibility on this point. 
 
DANILOVICH