US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT922

S E C R E T MUSCAT 000922 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA, DS/IP/ITA, NEA/EX, NEA/ARPI 
DEPT ALSO FOR DS/DSS/CC, DS/DSS/OSAC, S/ES-O/DS, CA/OCS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1 
TAGS: AEMR, ASEC, AMGT, PTER, CASC, KHLS, MU, EAC 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MUSCAT EAC - 06/08/2005 
 
REF: A. TD-314/33790-05 
     B. MUSCAT 0898 
 
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Michael G. Snowden. 
Reason: 1.4(c). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (SBU)  The Ambassador chaired a meeting of the Emergency 
Action Committee (EAC) on June 8 to review the Embassy's 
security posture prior to the local weekend.  Members 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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Security Environment 
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2.  (SBU)  On June 8, the Ambassador chaired a meeting of the 
core EAC to review the Embassy's security posture prior to 
the local weekend.  The meeting opened with a discussion of 
the local security situation, which the EAC continued to 
characterize as stable.  Likewise, the EAC noted no/no new 
threat reporting specific to Oman. 
 
3.  (S/NF)  RMAS did, however, address a recent report (ref 
A) indicating that, as of July 2004, al-Qa'ida was planning 
three attacks against U.S. diplomatic missions in the Persian 
Gulf region (NFI).  Citing a tenuous reporting chain, coupled 
with the fact that there is no information to suggest that 
the purported plots currently remain active, RMAS commented 
that additional details would have to be developed prior to 
any further assessment of the report's veracity. 
 
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Sustained Vigilance 
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4.  (SBU)  Prior to concluding the meeting, RSO reiterated 
that, despite the relative calm, members of the EAC must 
continue reinforcing to both their staffs and family members 
the need for vigilance regarding all aspects of personal 
security - to include maintaining a low profile and remaining 
unpredictable.  RSO further 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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5.  (S/NF)  The EAC concluded that there have been no 
substantive changes in the local security environment since 
the last meeting held on June 4 (reftel B).  Accordingly, 
members agreed that the Embassy's already heightened security 
posture and FPCON remain appropriate.  Embassy Muscat 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.  ABM, A/DCM, P/E, MGT, RSO, RMAS, PAO, DAO, OMC 
(USDR), and ECA (USCENTAF) participated in the meeting. 
BALTIMORE