US embassy cable - 89KAMPALA4953

UNCLAS KAMPALA 04953 
 
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE 
 
DEPT. FOR S/CT FOR WHARTON 
 
E.O. 12356: N/A 
TAGS: PTER 
SUBJECT: UGANDA: 1989 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 363024 
 
1. THE ABILITY OF THE UGANDAN GOVERNMENT TO REACT IN A 
TIMELY AND/OR EFFECTIVE MANNER IS LIMITED.  TO THE BEST 
OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NO SPECIFIC AGENCY THAT IS 
SINGULARLY TASKED WITH HANDLING A TERRORISM INCIDENT. 
THE MOST PROBABLE ACTION AGENCY WOULD BE THE INTERNAL 
SECURITY ORGANIZATION ACTING ON APPROVAL OF THE OFFICE 
OF THE PRESIDENT.  IT IS LIKELY THAT THE NATIONAL 
POLICE AND ITS SPECIAL BRANCH COMPONENT, AS WELL AS THE 
INVESTIGATIVE PERSONNEL UNDER THE POLICE INSPECTOR 
GENERAL WOULD COOPERATE WITH THE DIRECT ACTION AGENCY 
IN HANDLING THE INCIDENT/S.  THERE PROBABLY IS NO 
MANAGEMENT CRISIS TEAM WITHIN THE UGANDAN GOVERNMENT TO 
MANAGE EITHER A TERRORIST INCIDENT OR HOSTAGE TYPE 
CRISIS. 
 
2. THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION (PLO) HAS AN 
OFFICE IN KAMPALA WHICH RECENTLY HAS BEEN GIVEN 
DIPLOMATIC STATUS BY THE UGANDAN GOVERNMENT.  THE PLO 
MISSION IN KAMPALA ALSO RECENTLY WAS HEADED BY AN 
AMBASSADOR WHO WAS NAMED/DESIGNATED BY PLO LEADER 
ARAFAT.  UGANDA HAS OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED THE PLO AS A 
SEPARATE STATE WITH ARAFAT ENSCONCED AS ITS PRESIDENT. 
UGANDA HAS OFTEN EXPRESSED ITS SUPPORT FOR THE PLO AND 
ITS STRUGGLE FOR A HOMELAND. 
 
3. THERE ARE TWO OTHER MISSIONS IN KAMPALA THAT COULD 
BE CAUSE FOR CONCERN.  THESE INCLUDE THE LIBYAN 
PEOPLE'S BUREAU (LPB), THE HEAD OF WHOM HAS BEEN 
ELEVATED TO AMBASSADOR STATUS, AS A RESULT OF 
INCREASINGLY WARM RELATIONS BETWEEN UGANDA AND LIBYA. 
DURING RECENT MONTHS, UNIDENTIFIED LIBYAN PERSONNEL 
HAVE CARRIED OUT SURVEILLANCE AGAINST THE U.S. 
MISSION'S MARINE CONTINGENT BUT SUCH SURVEILLANCE WAS 
DISCONTINUED.  ALSO, THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC 
OF KOREA (DPRK) CONSISTS OF A SMALL DIPLOMATIC MISSION 
WHOSE PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN AGGRESSIVE IN THE PAST IN 
REGARD TO SURVEILLANCE OF US MISSION PERSONNEL. 
RECENTLY, THE SOVIETS HAVE SOUGHT INFORMATION TO 
IDENTIFY SOME NEWLY ARRIVED US MISSION PERSONNEL, 
HOWEVER, THEIR ACTIONS WERE PROBABLY RELATED TO 
FURTHERANCE OF THEIR CI EFFORTS RATHER THAN BEARING ANY 
RELATIONSHIP TO TERRORISM. 
 
4.  THE UGANDAN GOVERNMENT HAS REPEATEDLY STATED THAT 
THEY WILL NOT ALLOW ITS TERRITORY TO BE USED AS A BASE 
FOR INSURGENT GROUPS WHICH ATTACK UGANDA'S NEIGHBORS OR 
FOR TERRORIST ACTIVITIES. 
 
5.  AT PRESENT THE U.S. MISSION DOES NOT HAVE ANY 
INFORMATION OR EVIDENCE OF TERRORIST-RELATED ACTIVITIES 
IN UGANDA.  THIS, HOWEVER, DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE FACT 
THAT THE MERE PRESENCE OF LIBYANS GIVE RISE TO THE 
POTENTIAL OF A TERRORIST ATTACK AGAINST THE USG AND OUR 
INTERESTS IN UGANDA. 
 
 
BURROUGHS