US embassy cable - 88LONDON26262

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 26262 
 
S/CT FOR WHARTON 
 
E.O. 12356: N/A 
TAGS:  PTER, UK 
SUBJECT:  THE UK:  1988 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF:  STATE 357278 
 
1.  OUR SUBMISSION FOR THE UK PORTION OF THE 1988 ANNUAL 
REPORT OF PATTERNS OF GLOBAL TERRORISM BEGINS AT 
PARAGRAPH 2.  DEPARTMENT DRAFTERS SHOULD NOTE THAT AT 
THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, HMG IS WARNING THE PUBLIC THAT 
THE IRA APPARENTLY IS PLANNING A MAJOR BOMBING CAMPAIGN 
IN NORTHERN IRELAND, AND POSSIBLY ALSO IN BRITAIN, 
BEFORE THE END OF 1988.  IF SUCH A CAMPAIGN TAKES PLACE, 
OUR SUBMISSION MIGHT REQUIRE A YEAR-END UPDATE. 
 
BEGIN DRAFT TEXT 
 
MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN IN CY 1988 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
2.  IN 1988 THE UK MAINTAINED ITS LONGSTANDING POLICY OF 
NOT GRANTING CONCESSIONS TO TERRORISTS, DESPITE AN 
INCREASE IN PUBLIC AND MEDIA ATTENTION TO THE FATE OF 
THREE UK CITIZEN HOSTAGES IN LEBANON.  UK OFFICIALS 
CONTINUED TO BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN INTERNATIONAL AND 
REGIONAL BODIES WORKING AGAINST TERRORISM, INCLUDING THE 
TREVI GROUP, THE SUMMIT SEVEN, AND GROUPS WITHIN THE 
UN.  THERE IS A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP OF COOPERATION AND 
CONSULTATION ON COUNTERTERRORISM BETWEEN U.S. AND UK 
AUTHORITIES.  THE UK CONTINUED IN 1988 TO PROVIDE 
TRAINING AND OTHER ASSISTANCE TO SEVERAL COUNTRIES TO 
IMPROVE THEIR CAPABILITIES TO COMBAT TERRORISM. 
 
3.  IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENTS OF 
TERRORISM INVOLVING MEMBERS OF THE UK'S LARGE 
COMMUNITIES OF IMMIGRANTS, WHICH INCLUDE PALESTINIANS, 
IRANIANS, IRAQIS, TAMILS, AND OTHERS.  UK AUTHORITIES 
DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS THROUGH NORMAL POLICE AND 
JUDICIAL PROCESSES AND THROUGH EXCHANGES WITH OTHER 
COUNTRIES INVOLVED TO IDENTIFY AND APPREHEND TERRORISTS 
AND THEIR SUPPORTERS. 
 
4.  IN JANUARY, A MAN OF IRAQI ORIGIN WHO WAS KNOWN AS A 
CRITIC OF THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT DIED IN LONDON OF 
POISONING.  BEFORE HE DIED, HE TOLD UK AUTHORITIES THAT 
HE HAD BEEN POISONED AT A DINNER BY SEVERAL OTHER 
IRAQIS; THE AUTHORITIES CONFIRMED THAT TWO OF THEM HAD 
BEEN SENT TO BRITAIN BY THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT AND 
DEPARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT.  THE CASE IS 
STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. 
 
5.  DOMESTIC TERRORISM BY GROUPS INVOLVED IN NORTHERN 
IRELAND'S SECTARIAN VIOLENCE REMAINED THE MOST COMMON 
FORM OF TERRORIST INCIDENT DIRECTED AGAINST UK INTERESTS 
THROUGHOUT 1988.  MOST INCIDENTS WERE PERPETRATED BY THE 
IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY (IRA).  IN NORTHERN IRELAND ITSELF 
32 MILITARY PERSONNEL, 6 POLICE OFFICERS, AND 53 
CIVILIANS DIED IN 1988. 
 
6.  IN 1988 THE IRA ALSO MADE A NUMBER OF ATTACKS 
OUTSIDE NORTHERN IRELAND.  IN FEBRUARY, BRITISH SECURITY 
FORCES THWARTED A PLANNED IRA BOMBING OF A PUBLIC SQUARE 
IN GIBRALTAR, A UK DEPENDENT TERRITORY, AND KILLED THREE 
OF THE TERRORISTS INVOLVED.  SPANISH LEGAL AND POLICE 
AUTHORITIES GAVE SIGNIFICANT ASSISTANCE TO UK OFFICIALS 
IN THE CASE.  IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT, HAD THE 
BOMBING OCCURRED ACCORDING TO THE IRA'S PLANS, MORE THAN 
ONE HUNDRED PERSONS COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND MANY 
OTHERS INJURED, MOST OF THEM CIVILIAN BYSTANDERS AND 
TOURISTS. 
 
7.  THE IRA MADE OTHER ATTACKS ON BRITISH INTERESTS IN 
MAINLAND EUROPE DURING 1988.  ON MAY 1, THREE OFF-DUTY 
UK SERVICEMEN WERE MACHINE-GUNNED IN A CAR IN THE 
NETHERLANDS; ONE DIED.  ON THE SAME DAY, A CAR BOMB 
KILLED TWO RAF MEN AND SERIOUSLY INJURED ONE OTHER, ALSO 
IN THE NETHERLANDS.  ON MAY 5 ANOTHER BOMB ATTACHED TO A 
UK SERVICEMAN'S CAR IN GERMANY FAILED TO EXPLODE.  ON 
JULY 13 IRA TERRORISTS CUT THROUGH A UK MILITARY BASE 
PERIMETER FENCE TO PLANT TWO BOMBS WHICH INJURED NINE 
SOLDIERS.  ON AUGUST 5 A BOMB EXPLODED AT A MILITARY 
BASE IN GERMANY, INJURING THREE UK SERVICEMEN AND ONE 
GERMAN CIVILIAN.  LATER IN THE YEAR, GERMAN AUTHORITIES 
ARRESTED TWO MEN WHO ARE SUSPECTED OF BEING IRA MEMBERS 
INVOLVED IN THE SEVERAL INCIDENTS DESCRIBED. 
 
8.  IN BRITAIN ITSELF, THE IRA CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY 
FOR THE BOMBING IN AUGUST OF AN UNGUARDED MILITARY 
INSTALLATION IN NORTH LONDON.  TWO SOLDIERS WERE KILLED 
AND EIGHT OTHERS WERE INJURED IN THE EXPLOSION. 
 
9.  ON DECEMBER 6, THE UK PARLIAMENT APPROVED 
LEGISLATION WHICH STRENGTHENS EXISTING LAWS TO COMBAT 
TERRORISM.  THE LEGISLATION -- 
 
-- RENEWED THE 1984 PREVENTION OF TERRORISM (TEMPORARY 
PROVISIONS) ACT AND MADE IT PERMANENT, SO THAT IT NO 
LONGER REQUIRES PERIODIC REVIEW AND RENEWAL BY PARLIAMENT; 
 
-- GAVE THE GOVERNMENT NEW POWERS TO SEIZE FUNDS 
DESTINED FOR TERRORISTS, TO COMBAT RACKETEERING AS A 
MEANS OF RAISING FUNDS BY TERRORIST GROUPS, AND TO 
PREVENT THE "LAUNDERING" OF MONEY INTENDED FOR TERRORIST 
GROUPS; 
 
-- REAFFIRMED THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO BAN 
CERTAIN PERSONS BELIEVED TO BE INVOLVED IN TERRORISM IN 
NORTHERN IRELAND FROM ENTERING OTHER AREAS OF THE UK; 
 
-- RENEWED THE PROSCRIPTION IN THE UK OF TWO TERRORIST 
GROUPS, THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY (IRA) AND THE IRISH 
NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY (INLA); AND 
 
-- IN NORTHERN IRELAND ONLY, REDUCED THE REMISSION OF 
SENTENCES ALLOWED FOR CONVICTED TERRORISTS FROM ONE-HALF 
TO ONE-THIRD OF THEIR SENTENCES. 
 
THE LEGISLATION ALSO RENEWED THE AUTHORITY OF THE 
GOVERNMENT TO DETAIN SUSPECTED TERRORISTS FOR UP TO 
SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT FORMAL CHARGES OR ARRAIGNMENT BEFORE 
A JUDGE.  IN NOVEMBER, THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN 
RIGHTS DECLARED THAT THIS PRACTICE WAS ILLEGAL.  THE UK 
IS EXAMINING STEPS IT MIGHT TAKE TO BRING UK LAWS AND 
PROCEDURES INTO ACCORD WITH THE COURT'S FINDINGS. 
 
THE RESPONSE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM 
----------------------------------- 
10.  THE UK JUDICIARY IN RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN WHOLLY 
SUPPORTIVE OF GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO BRING TERRORISTS TO 
JUSTICE.  THE UK HOME OFFICE AND FOREIGN OFFICE CONTINUE 
TO WORK WITH THE COURTS TO IMPROVE PROCEDURES FOR 
EXTRADITION WITH OTHER COUNTRIES. 
 
11.  IN FEBRUARY, POLICE ARRESTED A SIKH LIVING IN 
ENGLAND WHO WAS WANTED ON SUSPICION OF INVOLVEMENT IN A 
1985 LUGGAGE EXPLOSION AT NARITA AIRPORT IN JAPAN IN 
WHICH TWO BAGGAGE HANDLERS WERE KILLED.  THE LUGGAGE 
ARRIVED ON A FLIGHT FROM TORONTO AND EXPLODED AT THE 
SAME TIME THAT AN EXPLOSION DESTROYED AN AIR INDIA JUMBO 
JET, ALSO FLYING FROM TORONTO, OVER THE OCEAN NEAR 
IRELAND, KILLING ALL 329 PEOPLE ON BOARD.  A UK COURT 
ORDERED THE MAN EXTRADITED TO CANADA, BUT HE HAS 
APPEALED.  HIS CASE IS PENDING. 
 
END DRAFT TEXT. 
 
 
PRICE