US embassy cable - 02HAVANA7763

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 007763 
 
S/CT FOR REAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, CU 
SUBJECT: (CUBA) 2002 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 201772 
 
1.   RESPONSES ARE KEYED TO REFTEL. 
 
2.  A) THERE HAVE BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT ACTIONS 
TAKEN BY THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT THE 
GLOBAL COALITION AGAINST TERRORISM.  THE GOC 
REMAINS OPPOSED TO THE U.S.-LED COALITION 
PROSECUTING THE WAR ON GLOBAL TERRORISM AND 
IS ACTIVELY CRITICAL OF MANY ASSOCIATED U.S. 
POLICIES AND ACTIONS.  THE GOC DID NOT 
PROTEST THE USE OF GUANTANAMO BASE TO HOUSE 
ILLEGAL COMBATANTS FROM THE CONFLICT IN 
AFGHANISTAN, HOWEVER, AND IT ALSO RESOLVED 
LONG-STANDING ISSUES RELATED TO EXPANDING THE 
AIRSPACE AT THE BASE.  THE CHANGES FACILITATE 
THE LANDING OF LARGER TRANSPORT-TYPE 
AIRCRAFT, GIVING AIRCRAFT CARRYING UNLAWFUL 
COMBATANTS THE ABILITY TO LAND AT GUANTANAMO. 
THE GOC ALSO AGREED TO FINALLY ALLOW 
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN AIRCRAFT AND THE HAVANA 
CONTROL TOWER WHEN NECESSARY.  CUBA SIGNED 
AND RATIFIED ALL 12 INTERNATIONAL 
COUNTERTERRORISM CONVENTIONS IN 2001. 
 
B)  POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY JUDICIAL 
RESPONSE IN THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST 
TERRORISM AFTER THE TERRORIST ACTS OF 9/11. 
 
C)  THE GOC DID NOT EXTRADITE NOR REQUEST 
EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS FOR 
PROSECUTION DURING 2002.  IMPLEMENTATION OF 
THE U.S.-CUBA EXTRADITION TREATY WAS 
SUSPENDED FOLLOWING THE BREAK IN DIPLOMATIC 
RELATIONS IN 1961. 
 
D)  ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO USG REQUEST FOR GOC 
PROSECUTION OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED 
TERRORISTS, CUBAN AFFINITY WITH AND SYMPATHY 
FOR COUNTRIES, GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO 
PURPORT TO ADVOCATE INTERESTS ANTITHETICAL TO 
THE UNITED STATES COULD IMPEDE CUBAN 
GOVERNMENT PROSECUTION OF TERRORISTS. 
EXTRADITION COULD BE IMPEDED BY THE LACK OF A 
FUNCTIONING EXTRADITION TREATY. 
 
E)  THE GOC HAS HINDERED USG EFFORTS TO 
COMBAT TERRORISM BY SOWING MISINFORMATION 
THROUGH "WALK-INS" AT SEVERAL US MISSIONS 
AROUND THE WORLD.  CUBAN OFFICIALS HAVE 
PUBLICLY ATTACKED THE USG FOR EXECUTING 
"DISPROPORTIONATE" MILITARY RESPONSES AGAINST 
TERRORISTS AND FOR DIVERTING INTERNATIONAL 
FORA FROM ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS IN 
FAVOR OF MILITARY ACTIONS.  THERE HAS BEEN NO 
POSITIVE ASSISTANCE. 
 
F)  THE GOC HAS TAKEN NO MAJOR 
COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN 2002. 
 
G) CUBA HARBORS UP TO 20 MEMBERS OF ETA IN 
CUBA, AND PROVIDES SOME DEGREE OF SAFEHAVEN 
AND SUPPORT TO MEMBERS OF THE COLOMBIAN 
TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS FARC AND ELN.  THE 
GOVERNMENT OF COLOMBIA HAS PUBLICLY INDICATED 
THAT IT SEEKS THE GOC'S CONTINUED MEDIATION 
WITH ELN AGENTS IN CUBA.  A GOC SPOKESPERSON 
REVEALED IN AUGUST 2001 THAT SINN FEIN'S 
OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR CUBA AND LATIN 
AMERICA, NIALL CONNOLLY, WHO WAS ARRESTED IN 
COLOMBIA UNDER SUSPICION OF TRAINING 
COLOMBIAN REBELS IN THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES, 
WAS BASED IN HAVANA FOR FIVE YEARS.  HIS 
TRIAL IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN THIS YEAR IN 
BOGOTA.  IN ADDITION, CUBA PROVIDES REFUGE TO 
APPROXIMATELY 73 FUGITIVES FROM U.S. JUSTICE, 
INCLUDING JOANNE CHESIMARD, A CONVICTED FELON 
WHO IS WANTED FOR INTERSTATE FLIGHT AND 
MURDER OF A NEW JERSEY STATE TROOPER.  MOST 
OF THE FUGITIVES HAVE BEEN CONVICTED IN U.S. 
COURTS FOR TERRORIST-RELATED CRIMES, I.E. 
AIRCRAFT HIJACKING. 
 
H)  POST IS UNAWARE OF ANY GOC STATEMENTS IN 
SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRY IN 
2002. 
 
I)  THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN 
THE GOC'S ATTITUDE TOWARD INTERNATIONAL OR 
DOMESTIC TERRORISM IN 2002.  IT CONTINUES TO 
DENOUNCE TERRORIST ACTIONS ALLEGEDLY 
PERPETRATED AGAINST CUBA BY EXILES IN MIAMI 
IT SAYS ARE BACKED OR TOLERATED BY THE USG. 
 
J)  THERE HAVE BEEN NO JOINT U.S.-CUBA 
COUNTERTERRORISM INITIATIVES AND EFFORTS. 
 
K)  POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY U.S. REQUESTS 
FOR COOPERATION FROM THE GOC DURING THE 
PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS IN THE INVESTIGATION OR 
PROSECUTION OF AN ACT OF INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS OR INTERESTS. 
 
L)  AS THERE HAVE BEEN NO U.S. REQUESTS FOR 
COOPERATION FROM THE GOC IN THE PREVIOUS FIVE 
YEARS, POST HAS NO INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE 
RELEVANT TO THIS SUB-SECTION.