US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT110

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000110 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPT. FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/IP/ITA, DS/DSS/CC, DS/DSS/OSAC, 
CA/OCS, NEA/EX, NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1 
TAGS: AEMR, ASEC, AMGT, PTER, CASC, KHLS, MU, EAC 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 01/18/2005 
 
REF: MUSCAT 0084 
 
Classified By: DCM William R. Stewart. 
Reason: 1.4(c). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (SBU)  The Ambassador chaired a meeting of the core 
Emergency Action Committee January 18 to review the Embassy's 
security posture prior to the Eid al Adha holiday.  Members 
of the EAC noted no substantive changes in the local security 
environment since the last meeting.  Accordingly, the EAC 
agreed that the Embassy's already heightened security posture 
and FPCON remain appropriate.  End Summary. 
 
 
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Local Security and Holiday Vigilance 
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2.  (S/NF)  On January 18, the Ambassador chaired a meeting 
of the core Emergency Action Committee ("EAC") to review the 
Embassy's security posture prior to the Eid al Adha holiday. 
The meeting opened with a discussion of the local and 
regional security situations; the EAC continued to 
characterize the former as stable, noting no new threat 
reporting specific to Oman or the Eid holiday.  RMAS 
corroborated rumors circulating on local internet discussion 
sites that the Omani security apparatus recently arrested a 
group of Ibadi (the majority Islamic sect in Oman) 
extremists.  RMAS explained that the extremists were 
identified as being members of a secret religious 
organization - strictly prohibited in Oman.  RMAS further 
explained that the organization has no/no apparent links to 
terrorism, domestic or international, and maintains no/no 
apparent anti-American/Western agenda.  It is noted that the 
arrests reflect the Omani government's firm commitment to 
combating extremism. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Prior to concluding the meeting, RSO reiterated 
that members of the EAC must continue reinforcing the need 
for sustained vigilance regarding all aspects of personal 
security.  RSO asked members of the EAC to convey this 
necessity to both their staffs and family members - 
particularly during the Eid holiday, when it is common for 
large groups of adolescents to congregate at public venues, 
some of which are frequented by Embassy personnel. 
Likewise, RSO re-emphasized the importance of immediately 
reporting all suspicious activity or security-related 
incidents to Post One. 
 
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EAC Conclusion 
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4.  (S/NF)  The EAC concluded that there have been no 
substantive changes in previously reported assessments of the 
local security environment since the last meeting held on 
January 16 (reftel), and that the Embassy's FPCON and already 
heightened security posture remain appropriate.  Nonetheless, 
the EAC remains acutely aware of the need to monitor both the 
regional and local security and threat environments, and is 
prepared to take the necessary countermeasures should changes 
to either occur.  AMB, DCM, RSO, RMAS, P/E, CONS, MGT, OMC 
(USDR), and ECA (USCENTAF) participated in the meeting. 
BALTIMORE