US embassy cable - 90KINSHASA16691

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 16691 
 
 
S/CT FOR BREELAND 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR 
TAGS: PTER 
SUBJECT: 1990 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF:  STATE 355397 
 
1. (U) THE FOLLOWING RESPONSES ARE PROVIDED FOR 
ZAIRE, AS REQUESTED IN REFTEL.  THEY ARE KEYED TO 
REFTEL PARAGRAPH 5, ITEMS A - H. 
 
2. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM A:  THERE HAVE BEEN NO HOST 
GOVERNMENT PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM.  THERE HAVE BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF 
DOMESTIC TERRORISM. 
 
3. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM B:  THE HOST GOVERNMENT HAS 
NOT REQUESTED EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS FOR 
PROSECUTION.  THE HOST GOVERNMENT HAS NOT EXTRADITED 
SUSPECTED TERRORISTS.  A LOCAL NEWSPAPER AND A FRENCH 
MAGAZINE HAVE REPORTED THAT ZAIRIAN AUTHORITIES ARE 
HOLDING A SUSPECT IN THE SEPTEMBER 19, 1989 TERRORIST 
BOMBING OF A UTA AIRLINER.  THE PRESS ALSO REPORTED 
THAT A FRENCH LEGAL TEAM CAME TO KINSHASA TO ASSIST 
IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THE SUSPECT, WHO IS EITHER A 
ZAIRIAN OR CONGOLESE CITIZEN.  IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE 
FRENCH WILL REQUEST EXTRADITION, BUT IT IS NOT YET 
KNOWN WHAT THE ZAIRIAN RESPONSE WILL BE. 
 
4. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM C:  WE SEE NO SIGNIFICANT 
IMPEDIMENTS TO ZAIRIAN  PROSECUTION AND/OR 
EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. 
 
5. (C) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM C:  IN THE EVENT A SUSPECTED 
TERRORIST SHOULD BE LINKED TO LIBYA, ZAIRE WOULD NO 
DOUBT CONSIDER ITS GROWING (IF STILL LIMITED) TIES TO 
T RI P OL I. 
 
6. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM D:  PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND THE 
PRESS TAKE AN ACCEPTABLE, I.E., CONDEMNATORY, STANCE 
ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.  AS NOTED ABOVE, ZAIRE IS 
REPORTEDLY COOPERATING WITH THE FRENCH IN AN INCIDENT 
OF AVIATION TERRORISM. 
 
7. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM E:  ZAIRE IS GENERALLY 
SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. AND WESTERN POSITIONS ON 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, BUT IS NOT A LEADER IN THE 
FIGHT AGAINST IT.  WHILE GENERALLY BACKING THE U.S., 
IT HAS TAKEN NO MAJOR INITIATIVES AGAINST TERRORISM 
IN INTERNATIONAL FORA. 
 
8. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM F:  ZAIRE HAS PROVIDED NO 
KNOWN SUPPORT TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. 
 
9. (C) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM F:  IN OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 
1990, A CABINDAN GROUP, THE FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION 
OF THE ENCLAVE OF CABINDA - MILITARY POSITION 
(FLEC-PM), TO WHICH ZAIRE PROVIDES SAFEHAVEN AND 
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, TOOK AN AMERICAN CITIZEN HOSTAGE IN 
CABINDA.  (QLDER AND SEPARATE FLEC ORGANIZATION 
HAS TAKEN PORTUGUESE AND FRENCH CITIZENS HOSTAGE IN 
THE REGION.  PORTUGUESE ARE STILL BEING HELD BY THIS 
GROUP.)  THE ZAIRIAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN WILLING TO 
SUPPORT U.S. EFFORTS TO GAIN THE AMERICAN'S RELEASE, 
BUT HAS NOT YET HAD TO FACE ANY DIFFICULT DECISIONS, 
E.G., WHETHER TO WITHHOLD ASSISTANCE FROM THE 
CABINDAN GROUP AS A MEANS TO TRY TO GAIN THE 
HOSTAGE'S RELEASE. 
 
10. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM G:  THE HOST GOVERNMENT HAS 
MADE NO PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A 
TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM ISSUE. 
 
11. (U) PARAGRAPH 5, ITEM H:  THERE HAS BEEN NO 
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SINCE 1989, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, 
IN ZAIRE'S ATTITUDE TOWARD INTERNATIONAL OR DOMESTIC 
TERRORISM. 
 
HARROP