US embassy cable - 90HAVANA6415

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 06415 
 
 
E.O. 12356: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, CU 
SUBJECT: ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 355397 
 
1.  THIS CABLE RESPONDS TO THE QUESTIONS RAISED IN 
REFTEL. 
 
2.  DESCRIBE ANY HOST GOVERNMENT PROSECUTIONS 
INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND/OR SIGNIFICANT 
ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM: 
 
THE ONLY OSTENSIBLE PROSECUTION OF TERRORIST ACTS IN 
1990 WAS THE JULY 16 TRIAL OF 11 MEMBERS OF A GROUP 
KNOWN AS THE YOUTH ASSOCIATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, 
ACCUSED OF CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TERRORIST ACTS, 
INCLUDING PLANS TO DYNAMITE THE NATIONAL LIBRARY, 
PLANS TO STEAL ARMS BY FORCE FROM A MILITARY UNIT, TO 
PLANT A CAR BOMB AND TO OCCUPY A FOREIGN EMBASSY.  THE 
TRIAL WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT WAS NOT ATTENDED BY 
WESTERN OBSERVERS.  NO INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO 
JUDGE THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN SUPPORT OF THE 
CHARGES.  ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS THE TERRORISTS 
WERE FOUND WITH 900 GRAMS OF TNT, ELECTRIC DETONATORS 
AND 7.62 MM SHELLS.  THE GROUP WAS FALSELY ACCUSED OF 
LINKS WITH THE U.S. INTERESTS SECTION IN HAVANA. 
 
3.  DID THE HOST GOVERNMENT EXTRADITE OR REQUEST THE 
EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORIST FOR PROSECUTION? 
 
CUBA DID NOT MAKE ANY SUCH REQUEST IN 1990.  HOWEVER, 
IT HAD REQUESTED EXTRADITION OF ORLANDO BOSCH FROM 
VENEZUELA WHILE HE WAS HELD THERE.  ALTHOUGH NO 
EXTRADITION TREATY WITH THE UNITED STATES EXISTS, THE 
OFFICIAL CUBAN PRESS MADE IT CLEAR THAT CUBA WANTED 
THE UNITED STATES TO RETURN ORLANDO BOSCH TO CUBA TO 
FACE CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE 1976 BOMBING OF A 
CUBANA COMMERCIAL AIRPLANE THAT RESULTED IN THE DEATH 
OF ALL ON BOARD. 
 
4.  DISCUSS HOST GOVERNMENT RESPONSES OTHER THAN 
PROSECUTION: 
 
CUBAN PUBLIC STATEMENTS HAVE CONDEMNED THE KILLING OF 
CIVILIANS BY GOVERNMENT AND IRREGULAR FORCES OR DEATH 
SQUADS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, 
NICARAGUA AND COLOMBIA.  THE CONDEMNATION UNIFORMLY 
FOLLOWED POLITICAL LINES.  THAT IS, OFFICIAL 
STATEMENTS CONDEMNED CLAIMED PRE-MEDITATED KILLING OF 
CIVILIANS WHICH APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN BY GROUPS OR 
INDIVIDUALS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA. 
THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA DID NOT CONDEMN TERRORIST ACTS 
APPARENTLY COMMITTED BY IRREGULAR FORCES OR 
GOVERNMENTS SUPPORTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA.  THE 
GOVERNMENT OF CUBA DID NOT MAKE ANY EFFORT TO 
INVESTIGATE OR ASSIST WITH INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM 
INVESTIGATIONS. 
 
6.  DESCRIBE MAJOR CONTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN 
IN 1990 BY THE HOST GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING STEPS TAKEN 
IN INTERNATIONAL FORA. 
 
NO MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS WERE UNDERTAKEN. 
CUBA MAINTAINS A LARGE POLICE/STATE SECURITY APPARATUS 
WHICH EFFECTIVELY MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR DOMESTIC 
TERRORISM TO PROSPER.  EXTENSIVE SOCIAL CONTROL AND 
STATE INTRUSION INTO NEARLY ALL ASPECTS OF PRIVATE 
LIFE MAKE IT VERY LIKELY THAT NASCENT TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE DISCOVERED OR NECESSARILY REMAIN 
SO SMALL AND INSULAR THAT THEY WILL HAVE LITTLE IMPACT. 
 
7.  DESCRIBE ANY SIGNIFICANT HOST GOVERNMENT SUPPORT 
FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, INCLUDING POLITICAL AND 
FINANCIAL  SUPPORT FOR TERRORISTS; DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT 
THROUGH DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION, MISUSE OF THE 
DIPLOMATIC POUCH, AND OTHER PRIVILEGES TO SUPPORT 
TERRORISM; SANCTUARY EXTENDED TO TERRORISTS OR 
TERRORIST GROUPS AND/OR THE PRESENCE OF OFFICE OF SUCH 
GROUPS; HOST GOVERNMENT TRAINING OR THE PROVISION OF 
TRAINING SITES TO TERRORIST GROUPS; AND POSITIONS 
TAKEN ON TERRORISM ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL FORA. 
 
THE GOC POLITICALLY SUPPORTS OR SUPPORTED FARABUNDO 
MARTI NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT, THE GUATEMALAN 
NATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY UNITY, THE POLITICAL ARM OF THE 
COLOMBIAN REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES, THE FORMER 19TH 
OF APRIL MOVEMENT, THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, THE 
PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ORGANIZATION.  CUBAN MAINTAINS 
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH "THE STATE OF PALESTINE", 
AND RECOGNIZES THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS AS A 
NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT.  IT ALSO RECOGNIZED THE 
SOUTHWEST AFRICAN PEOPLES ORGANIZATION (SWAPO) AS A 
NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT BEFORE NAMIBIAN 
INDEPENDENCE.  CUBA SUPPLIED MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO 
SWAPO, THE FMLN, THE M-19, AND PROBABLY THE FARC. 
CUBA IS WIDELY THOUGHT TO CONTINUE ARMS AND OTHER 
MILITARY SUPPORT TO THE FMLN. 
 
8.  HAS THE HOST GOVERNMENT MADE ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS 
IN SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST SULPORTING COUNTRY ON A 
TERRORISM ISSUE? 
 
CUBA OPENLY SUPPORTS THE GOVERNMENTS OF IRAN, IRAQ, 
LIBYA, NORTH KOREA, AND SYRIA.  IT DOES NOT OPENLY 
SUPPORT TERRORISM, WHICH IT DISTINGUISHES, ALONG 
POLITICAL LINES, FROM NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENTS. 
 
9.  DESCRIBE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SINCE 1989, 
POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, IN THE HOST GOVERNMENT'S 
ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM, INTERNATIONAL OR DOMESTIC. 
WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CHANGE? 
 
CUBA CONTINUED TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM SOUTHERN 
AFRICA ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE.  TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS 
OR NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENTS SUPPORTED POLITICALLY 
AND PERHAPS MILITARILY BY CUBA HAVE BEEN LESS ACTIVE 
IN 1990 THAN IN 1989, EXCEPT THE FMLN IN EL SALVADOR, 
AND PERHAPS THE GUATEMALAN NATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY 
UNITY. 
 
FLANIGAN