US embassy cable - 01KINSHASA5605

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 005605 
 
DEPT FOR S/CT: FOR REAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, CG 
SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 2001 ANNUAL 
TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 198912 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE GDRC PLAYED A POSITIVE, IF VERY MINOR, ROLE 
ON TERRORISM ISSUES DURING 2001.  NONETHELESS, EASTERN DRC IS 
UNDER CONTROL OF REBEL FORCES AND CONTINUES TO BE PLAGUED BY 
SEVERE DISORDER AND BANDITRY IN LARGE AREAS.  WHETHER ANY OF 
THIS ACTIVITY CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS TERRORISM IS QUESTIONABLE, 
BUT THE DISRUPTION IT CAUSES IN THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IS 
NOT.  THE GOVERNMENT OF JOSEPH KABILA HAS RESPONDED 
POSITIVELY ON MATTERS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM SINCE THE 
TERRORIST ATTACKS ON SEPTEMBER 11.  END SUMMARY 
 
2.  POST'S DETAILED RESPONSE 
 
A)  SUPPORT FOR THE GLOBAL COALITION 
 
SUBSEQUENT TO THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11 THE GDRC 
HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF US REPRESENTATION ON 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM ISSUES.  THAT SAID THE DEMOCRATIC 
REPUBLIC OF CONGO REMAINS A DIVIDED COUNTRY WITH REBEL GROUPS 
IN CONTROL OF ABOUT HALF ON THE COUNTRY.  IN REBEL-CONTROLLED 
TERRITORY THERE IS CONSIDERABLE DISORDER, AND UNCONTROLLED 
ARMED GROUPS ROAM FREELY.  BANDITRY AND DISORDER ARE 
COMMONPLACE.  THIS ACTIVITY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ORGANIZED 
TERRORISM, ALTHOUGH SOME UNCONTROLLED ARMED GROUPS HAVE THE 
GOAL OF DESTABILIZING NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. 
 
B) TERRORIST INCIDENTS THWARTED, AND TERRORIST CELLS BROKEN 
UP, DURING 2001. 
 
NONE 
 
C) RESPONSE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM AND/OR SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM 
DURING 2001 
 
THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN THE DRC REMAINS IN A STATE OF 
DYSFUNCTION.  SIGNIFICANT CRIMINAL CASES ARE TRIED IN 
MILITARY COURTS, IN WHICH DUE PROCESS STANDARDS ARE VERY LOW. 
 NO TERRORISM CASES WERE KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN TRIED IN 2001. 
 
D) EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS 
 
NO EXTRADITION REQUESTS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DRC WERE 
MADE DURING 2001. 
 
E) SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO HOST GOVERNMENT PROSECUTION 
AND/OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS 
 
THERE IS NO EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN THE U.S. AND DRC, BUT 
THERE ARE NO IMPEDIMENTS TO DOMESTIC PROSECUTION OF SUSPECTED 
TERRORISTS IN THE DRC. 
 
F) HOST GOVERNMENT RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECUTION 
 
PRESIDENT KABILA WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO OFFER HIS AND HIS 
COUNTRY'S CONDOLENCES FOLLOWING THE SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST 
ATTACKS IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON.  THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO 
MADE PUBLIC STATEMENTS AGAINST TERRORISM. 
 
G) MAJOR COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN IN 2001 
 
THE GOVERNMENT OF DRC MAINTAINS AN EXTENSIVE INTELLIGENCE 
SERVICE, WHICH, INTER ALIA, CONDUCTS COUNTER-TERRORISM 
ACTIVITIES.  NO SPECIFIC COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS, I.E., 
THOSE OUTSIDE THE NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS, ARE KNOWN TO 
HAVE BEEN MADE DURING 2001 
 
H) SIGNIFICANT HOST GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM 
 
NONE 
 
I) PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST-SUPPORTING 
COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM ISSUE 
 
NONE 
 
J) SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SINCE 2001 IN THE HOST GOVERNMENT'S 
ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM 
 
SINCE JOSEPH KABILA TOOK POWER AFTER HIS FATHER'S 
ASSASSINATION, THE GOVERNMENT OF DRC HAS BEHAVED IN A MUCH 
MORE RESPONSIBLE MANNER.  RELATIONS WITH NORTH KOREA, LIBYA 
AND CUBA, FOR INSTANCE, REMAIN FRIENDLY, BUT THE FREQUENCY OF 
VISITS BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO THOSE COUNTRIES HAS 
DECLINED SUBSTANTIALLY.  MOST PROBABLY, THE PRINCIPAL REASON 
FOR THE CHANGE IS THE FACT THAT JOSEPH KABILA HAS A BROADER 
WORLD-VIEW THAN HIS FATHER, WHO RECEIVED HIS POLITICAL 
EDUCATION DURING THE 60S. 
 
K) U.S. COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES WITH THE 
DRC GOVERNMENT 
 
NO INSTANCES OF COOPERATION ON TERRORISM BETWEEN THE U.S. AND 
DRC WERE RECORDED DURING 2001.  THE DRC MILITARY INTELLIGENCE 
SERVICE HAS RESPONDED FAVORABLY TO A USDAO REQUEST FOR 
COLLABORATION AGAINST TERRORISM.  THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO 
PROFESS ITS READINESS TO COOPERATE WITH THE U.S. ON TERRORISM 
ISSUES. 
 
L) COOPERATION FROM THE DRC GOVERNMENT DURING THE PREVIOUS 
FIVE YEARS IN THE INVESTIGATION OR PROSECUTION OF AN ACT OF 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM 
 
NONE 
 
   (I) EXTENT TO WHICH THE HOST GOVERNMENT IN 2001 COOPERATED 
OR IS COOPERATING WITH THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT IN 
APPREHENDING, CONVICTING, AND PUNISHING THE INDIVIDUAL OR 
INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACT; 
 
NONE 
 
   (II) THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE HOST GOVERNMENT IN 2001 
COOPERATED OR IS COOPERATING IN PREVENTING FURTHER ACTS OF 
TERRORISM AGAINST UNITED STATES CITIZENS IN THE HOST 
GOVERNMENT'S TERRITORY. 
 
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DRC HAS RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO U.S. 
DEMARCHES ON ADHERENCE TO ANTI-TERRORISM CONVENTIONS, 
ALTHOUGH TO DATE RATIFICATIONS OF THOSE ANTI-TERRORISM 
CONVENTIONS TO WHICH THE DRC IS NOT A PARTY HAVE NOT BEEN 
COMPLETED. 
 
M) EXTENT TO WHICH THE HOST GOVERNMENT IN 2001 COOPERATED 
WITH OTHER ANTI-TERRORISM EFFORTS 
 
THE U.S. SOUGHT AND OBTAINED CLOSURE OF A STREET IN FRONT OF 
THE EMBASSY.  THE CLOSURE IS PERMANENT AND A BARRIER WILL BE 
CONSTRUCTED TO ENSURE THAT IT REMAINS SO.  THE GOVERNMENT 
ALSO GRANTED PERMISSION FOR THE EMBASSY SURVEILLANCE 
DETECTION UNIT TO OPERATE IN PLAIN CLOTHES, WHICH GREATLY 
INCREASES THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. 
 
 
HOOKS