US embassy cable - 05SANSALVADOR2942

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SAN SALVADOR 002942 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR CA/FPP, CA/VO/I, WHA/CEN for Paul Degler 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI, KHLS, CVIS, PINS, KFRD, ES, GANGS 
SUBJECT: Anti-Gang Cooperation Generates Multiple Benefits 
 
REF: STATE 00109415 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  Post persuaded two Salvadoran government 
organs with a limited history of mutual coordination, the 
National Civil Police (PNC) and the National Civil Registry 
(RNPN,) to cooperate on biometrics collection during a five- 
nation law enforcement operation against members of the 
Salvadoran gang MS-13.  The experiment was a success, 
demonstrating that biometric fingerprinting technologies 
available to the two Salvadoran agencies and to USG 
organizations -- including the Department of State, DHS and 
the FBI -- are compatible.  The fingerprinting experiment 
also demonstrated that continuing cooperation has the 
potential to strengthen El Salvador's anti-gang efforts and 
directly enhance US border security.  End Summary. 
 
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Convincing Two Salvadorans Agencies to Work Together 
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2.  Two weeks prior to a jointly organized five-nation law 
enforcement operation on September 7 and 8 against members 
of the Salvadoran gang MS-13, Post's LEGATT and Consular 
Fraud Prevention Manager (FPM) began working with the Anti- 
Gang Task Force of El Salvador's National Civil Police (PNC) 
and officials of the host government's National Civil 
Registry (RNPN) to optimize the success of the anti-gang 
sweep.  The EMBOFFS concentrated on encouraging and 
facilitating cooperation between the two Salvadoran 
organizations which had no history of working together. 
Traditionally, the RNPN has had limited contact with the 
PNC, in part to protect from unauthorized disclosure the 
extensive personal data it holds on nearly all Salvadoran 
citizens.  For its part, the PNC has seen little reason to 
seek closer relations with the civilian RNPN.  However, 
because the Consular Section has a lengthy experience of 
productive cooperation with both Salvadoran agencies, the 
FPM and LEGATT perceived that coordination between the 
Salvadoran agencies could increase the success of El 
Salvador's anti-gang efforts and potentially contribute 
improved border security for the United States. 
 
3.  The LEGATT and FPM focused on working with the PNC and 
RNPN because the PNC's Anti-Gang Task Force performs on the 
front line of the country's anti-gang efforts.  However, the 
PNC has no adequately reliable method to confirm the true 
identities of the many gang members about which it has 
compiled information.  The RNPN is ideally situated to 
compensate for this shortcoming because it manages an 
extensive data base that currently contains information on 
more than ninety percent of Salvadoran citizens over the age 
of 18.  The RNPN data includes detailed biographic 
information, photographs, digital fingerprints of the two 
index fingers, and fingerprint cards for all ten fingers. 
The RNPN uses this data to issue El Salvador's national 
identification card (DUI), which is required to obtain a 
passport and to conduct routine transactions in all 
government institutions and private banks. 
 
4.  The LEGATT and FPM proposed that the RNPN make its 
equipment for taking biometric fingerprints available to the 
PNC and that the prints of arrested gang members be checked 
against the RNPN data base to confirm the identities of the 
arrestees.  The PNC does not have equipment to take 
biometric fingerprints, and PNC officials responded 
enthusiastically to this proposal.  RNPN officers were 
reluctant, saying they could not agree without Ministerial 
level approval.  Consequently, on 2 September DCM Michael 
Butler raised the issue with Minister of Governance Rene 
Figueroa, who approved the pilot test. 
 
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The Anti-Gang Sweep 
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5.  On September 7 and 8 law enforcement agencies in the 
United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras 
conducted a coordinated operation focused against the MS-13 
gang.  The anti-gang roundup involved more than 6,400 
government agents from all five coordinating countries and 
resulted in approximately 660 arrests.  More than 230 
arrests were made in El Salvador. 
 
6.  The PNC took seven of the arrested gang members to a 
RNPN facility, where biometric fingerprints were taken of 
their index fingers.  Using these biometric prints, the RNPN 
confirmed the identities of five of the seven individuals 
and recorded information on the remaining two, who had never 
been issued a DUI.  The RNPN provided the results of the 
biometric printing and identity checks to the PNC via e- 
mail, and PNC officials forwarded this information to the 
Consular Section.  In turn, the FPU electronically 
transferred the biometric prints and identity information to 
Consular Affairs, DHS, and FBI in the United States where 
the information was successfully entered into the law 
enforcement and IDENT data bases maintained by those 
organizations. 
 
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What Does It Mean? 
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7.  The pilot test conducted on September 7-8 produced 
several positive results.  First, it demonstrated that the 
technology available to the RNPN and PNC are compatible for 
the transfer of biometric and identity data and that 
cooperation between the two agencies can strengthen El 
Salvador's anti-gang campaign.  Second, and of equal 
significance to the U.S., the experiment demonstrated that 
Salvadoran and US technologies are compatible and that 
further cooperation between our two countries can contribute 
to the security of US borders.  The seven biometrically 
fingerprinted gang members were entered into CLASS and IDENT 
as being potentially ineligible for reasons of gang activity 
(see ref authorization for ineligibility findings against 
active members of Salvadoran-based gangs).  Should they 
apply in the future for visas, their identities and suspect 
gang associations will be revealed to adjudicating consular 
officers.  Similarly, should any of the seven be detained by 
US law enforcement authorities while attempting to enter the 
US or for activities conducted in the US, information about 
them will be readily available in the DHS and FBI data 
bases. Additional success in a parallel consular-initiated 
program will be reported septel. 
 
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Next Steps 
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8.  Post will encourage continuing cooperation between the 
RNPN and PNC.  While scrupulously complying with El 
Salvador's privacy right laws, this cooperation has the 
potential to contribute significantly to El Salvador's 
efforts to curtail gang violence and gang-related social 
disruption.  Post also will continue to seek ways to expand 
anti-gang cooperation between El Salvador and the United 
States.  The security of both our nations will benefit. 
 
Barclay