US embassy cable - 02HANOI2692

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002692 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/CT FOR REAP AND EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, VM, CTERR 
SUBJECT:  VIETNAM:  2002 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF:  SECTSTATE 201772 
 
1.  EMBASSY'S RESPONSE TO REFTEL FOLLOWS IN PARAGRAPH 2. 
THE RESPONSE IS KEYED TO THE PARAGRAPHS IN REFTEL. 
 
2. 
A)  THE GVN HAS ACTIVELY SUPPORTED THE GLOBAL COALITION 
AGAINST TERRORISM AND TAKEN A NUMBER OF MEASURES AGAINST AL- 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02692  01 OF 02  061028Z 
QAIDA.  THE GVN HAS CLEARLY AND FREQUENTLY DENOUNCED 
TERRORISM DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.  THE GVN 
RATIFIED FOUR ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS RELATED 
TO COUNTERTERRORISM, BRINGING ITS TOTAL TO EIGHT.  THE GVN 
SUPPORTED THE ADOPTION OF THE US-ASEAN COUNTERTERRORISM 
DECLARATION.  AT THE UN, THE GVN DESCRIBED TERRORISM AS "A 
GLOBAL SCOURGE," ADDING THAT "ANY COUNTERTERRORISM MEASURE 
MUST COMPLY WITH THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER, RESPECT THE 
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND THE 
SOVEREIGNTY OF STATES."  THE GVN HAS CONTINUED TO AGREE TO 
RECEIVE FROM THE U.S. LISTS OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS AND 
ORGANIZATIONS, TO REVIEW ITS IMMIGRATION RECORDS, TO ADD 
THESE NAMES TO ITS WATCHLISTS, AND TO ORDER SEARCHES OF THE 
RECORDS OF ALL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FOR ASSETS RELATED TO 
AL-QAIDA AND OTHER TERRORIST ENTITIES.  DURING 2002, THE GVN 
FURTHER UPGRADED SECURITY FROM ALREADY ELEVATED POST- 
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 LEVELS AT MANY DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN 
HANOI AND HO CHI MINH CITY, INCLUDING THOSE OF THE U.S., TO 
DETER TERRORISM. 
 
B)  DURING 2002 THERE WERE NO KNOWN ACTS OF DOMESTIC 
TERRORISM OR PROSECUTIONS FOR ACTS OF TERRORISM IN VIETNAM. 
THERE WERE NO KNOWN JUDICIAL ACTIONS IN VIETNAM DURING 2002 
RELATED TO ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.  THE GVN 
CONTINUED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS TO PRESS FOR THE 
PROSECUTION OF INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED OF COMMITTING "TERRORIST" 
ACTS IN 2001 AGAINST VIETNAMESE INTERESTS OVERSEAS.  IN 
OCTOBER 2002, A US COURT CONVICTED ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS 
OF ATTEMPTED ARSON AND ASSAULT ON A FEDERAL OFFICER DURING 
AN ATTEMPTED ATTACK ON DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN TAN DUNG 
IN SAN FRANCISCO IN DECEMBER 2001.  THE GVN HAS DESCRIBED 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02692  01 OF 02  061028Z 
THIS ATTEMPTED ATTACK INCIDENT AS "TERRORISM."  US 
AUTHORITIES ARRESTED A US RESIDENT ON TERRORISM-RELATED 
CHARGES IN OCTOBER 2001 AND HELD HIM PENDING AN EXTRADITION 
HEARING IN NOVEMBER 2002 TO STAND TRIAL IN THAILAND FOR AN 
ATTEMPT TO BOMB THE VIETNAMESE EMBASSY IN BANGKOK. 
 
C)  EXTRADITION:  THE GVN DID NOT EXTRADITE ANY SUSPECTED 
TERRORISTS DURING THE YEAR, NOR WERE ANY REQUESTS FOR SUCH 
EXTRADITIONS MADE TO OUR KNOWLEDGE.  THE GVN HAS CONTINUED 
TO PRESS FOR THE EXTRADITION TO THAILAND OF TWO INDIVIDUALS 
RESIDING IN THE U.S. THAT THE GVN ASSERTS WERE INVOLVED IN 
ATTEMPTS TO BOMB GVN INTERESTS OVERSEAS.  US AUTHORITIES 
ARRESTED ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS IN 2001 (SEE PARA B); US 
EXTRADITION HEARINGS ARE PROCEEDING. 
 
D)  THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO PROSECUTION OF 
SUSPECTED TERRORISTS.  THERE IS NO EXTRADITION TREATY 
BETWEEN THE GVN AND THE USG.  HOWEVER, AT USG REQUEST, THE 
GVN HAS DEPORTED INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED OF CRIMES TO THE U.S. 
 
E)  THE GVN MADE NUMEROUS PUBLIC STATEMENTS CONDEMNING 
TERRORISM;  SOME EXAMPLES FOLLOW.  IN JANUARY, COMMUNIST 
PARTY GENERAL SECRETARY NONG DUC MANH, DURING AN INTERVIEW 
WITH A WESTERN JOURNALIST, SAID THAT "WE OPPOSE TERRORISM IN 
ANY FORM."  ON APRIL 28, DURING THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE, DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER NGUYEN PHU 
BINH STATED THAT "VIETNAM CONDEMNS ALL FORMS OF TERRORISM." 
ON MAY 10, THE MFA SPOKESPERSON "STRONGLY CONDEMNED" THE MAY 
9 BOMBINGS IN DAGESTAN.  ON OCTOBER 14, AFTER THE BALI 
BOMBINGS, THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPOKESPERSON 
STATED THAT "VIETNAM RESOLUTELY CONDEMNS AND ACTS AGAINST 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02692  01 OF 02  061028Z 
TERRORISM IN WHATEVER FORMS. . . . IT IS WORTHY TO NOTE THAT 
THE BLAST TOOK PLACE AT A TIME WHEN THE WORLD COMMUNITY IS 
EXERTING CONCERTED EFFORTS TO PREVENT TERRORIST MOVES."  SHE 
ADDED THAT "THE BOMB BLAST IS AN INTOLERABLE CRIME."  THE 
GVN SUPPORTED MISSION-SPONSORED SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL 
EVENTS.  PROVINCIAL-LEVEL GVN AUTHORITIES SEIZED PRODUCTS 
BEARING USAMA BIN-LADEN'S IMAGE ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION AND 
ANNOUNCED THAT PRODUCTION OF SUCH ITEMS WAS PUNISHABLE BY 
LAW. 
 
F)  THE GVN, REPRESENTED BY PRIME MINISTER PHAN VAN KHAI, 
SUPPORTED THE ADOPTION OF THE US-ASEAN COUNTERTERRORISM 
DECLARATION AT THE ASEAN SUMMIT IN BRUNEI DURING JULY.  HO 
CHI MINH CITY POLICE ESTABLISHED A "TACTICAL RESPONSE TEAM" 
THAT THEY DESCRIBED AS A COUNTERTERRORISM TOOL, ALTHOUGH ITS 
MORE IMMEDIATE USE WAS PROBABLY AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME 
GANGS.  A SIMILAR TACTICAL UNIT NOW EXISTS IN HANOI, 
ALTHOUGH THE EMBASSY HAS NOT YET SEEN ANY EVIDENCE OF ACTUAL 
DEPLOYMENT OR OPERATIONS. 
 
G)  THE GVN IS NOT KNOWN TO SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, 
TERRORISTS, OR TERRORIST GROUPS. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ0845 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02692  02 OF 02  061028Z 
ACTION SCT-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00 
      DS-00    EAP-00   FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00 
      LAB-01   VCE-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00  TEST-00  USIE-00  ASDS-00 
      IIP-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   NFAT-00  SAS-00     /004W 
                  ------------------0429C8  061029Z /38 
R 061013Z NOV 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8037 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HANOI 002692 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/CT FOR REAP AND EAP/BCLTV 
 
 
H)  THE GVN HAS NOT PUBLICLY SUPPORTED A TERRORIST- 
SUPPORTING COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM-SPECIFIC ISSUE. 
 
I)  THE GVN TOOK A MORE SERIOUS ATTITUDE TOWARDS 
COUNTERTERRORISM FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF TERRORIST CELLS 
IN FELLOW ASEAN MEMBERS SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA EARLY IN THE 
YEAR.  THE GVN HAS BEEN FOLLOWING CLOSELY THE TRIAL OF 
INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE ATTEMPTED ATTACK ON DEPUTY PRIME 
MINISTER NGUYEN TAN DUNG IN SAN FRANCISCO IN DECEMBER 2001. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02692  02 OF 02  061028Z 
THE GVN HAS DEEMED THIS A TERRORIST ACT. 
 
J)  THE GVN HAS COOPERATED WITH THE USG IN A NUMBER OF 
COUNTERTERRORISM AREAS.  THE STATE BANK OF VIETNAM HAS 
ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO ALL STATE, PRIVATE, FOREIGN AND JOINT 
VENTURE BANKS AND BRANCHES TO SEARCH FOR ASSETS RELATED TO 
NAMED ENTITIES ON LISTS PROVIDED BY THE USG, ALTHOUGH IT 
LACKS AN EFFECTIVE MECHANISM FOR REPORTING RESULTS OF THESE 
SEARCHES.  THE GVN HAS COOPERATED WITH THE US CUSTOMS 
SERVICE'S OPERATION GREEN QUEST.  THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS HAS AGREED THAT THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY 
(MPS) WOULD CHECK IMMIGRATION RECORDS AGAINST LISTS OF 
SUSPECTED TERRORISTS PROVIDED BY THE USG.  AT USG REQUEST, 
MPS HAS PROVIDED A HIGHLY VISIBLE SECURITY PRESENCE AROUND 
USG FACILITIES.  HOWEVER, IN ONE CASE IN SEPTEMBER, IT TOOK 
SEVERAL DAYS TO PROVIDE A SATISFACTORY SECURITY PRESENCE AT 
ONE FACILITY. 
 
K)  PRIOR TO 2001, THE INVESTIGATION AND PREVENTION OF 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM WAS NOT A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE 
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP.  HOWEVER, SINCE SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, 
THE GVN HAS COOPERATED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS WITH THE USG 
EFFORTS TO INVESTIGATE THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMITTING 
TERRORIST ACTS AGAINST US CITIZENS AND INTERESTS.  THE GVN 
HAS AGREED TO CONDUCT CHECKS OF IMMIGRATION RECORDS ON LISTS 
OF NAMES OF TERRORISTS WHO MAY HAVE TRANSITED THROUGH 
VIETNAM.  IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES HAVE ALSO GENERALLY 
RESPONDED PROMPTLY TO USG REQUESTS FOR CHECKING THE 
BONAFIDES OF PASSPORTS AND VISAS, ESPECIALLY WHEN TIPPED OFF 
THAT THE PASSPORT HOLDERS ARE BEHAVING SUSPICIOUSLY.  THE 
GVN HAS CONTRIBUTED INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT TO US EFFORTS TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02692  02 OF 02  061028Z 
IDENTIFY AND SUSPEND FINANCIAL ASSETS OF TERRORISTS AND 
TERRORIST GROUPS. 
 
EXCEPT THE RECEIPT OF SEVERAL SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES -- 
EVENTUALLY CONFIRMED TO BE HARMLESS -- MAILED BOTH 
DOMESTICALLY AND FROM OVERSEAS, THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACTS OF 
TERRORISM COMMITTED AGAINST US CITIZENS OR INTERESTS IN 
VIETNAM FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.  THE GVN HAS PROVIDED 
INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE AT USG FACILITIES AND DEVELOPED 
MEASURES TO RESPOND TO SPECIFIC THREAT SITUATIONS.  THE GVN 
HAS RESPONDED HELPFULLY AND PROMPTLY TO ANALYZE THE CONTENTS 
OF SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES.  HOWEVER, GVN RESPONSE TIMES TO 
OTHER POTENTIALLY THREATENING SITUATIONS HAVE VARIED.  IN 
THE BEST CASE, POLICE RESPONDED WITHIN LESS THAN FIVE 
MINUTES.  IN ANOTHER CASE INVOLVING A DIFFERENT POTENTIAL 
THREAT AT A DIFFERENT FACILITY, CLEARLY THE LOCAL POLICE DID 
NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AT THEIR IMMEDIATE 
DISPOSAL, NOR WERE THEY FAMILIAR WITH HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS 
TYPE OF THREAT.  CALLING IN THE REQUIRED SPECIALISTS TOOK 
THREE HOURS, AND COORDINATION AMONG THE VARIOUS GVN OFFICES 
INVOLVED WAS SLOW.  THE SPECIALISTS THEMSELVES WERE 
PROFESSIONALLY COMPETENT, BUT LACKED ANY PROTECTIVE 
GEAR/EQUIPMENT. 
 
L.  SEE PARAGRAPH K. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED