US embassy cable - 02AMMAN7151

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 007151 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DS/DSS, DS/IP/FPO, DS/OP/NEA, AND NEA/ARN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2007 
TAGS: ASEC, ABUD, AFIN, AMGT 
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS - AMMAN 
 
REF: A) AMMAN 7077 B) AMMAN 6393 C) AMMAN 6912 
 
Classified By: TODD BROWN, REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICER, REASONS 1.5 (G) 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
1. (U)  THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST 
 
2. (C) IN RESPONSE TO THE OCTOBER 28, 2002 ASSASSINATION OF 
U.S. DIPLOMAT LARRY FOLEY IN AMMAN, THE REGIONAL SECURITY 
OFFICE, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF TDY SUPPORT FROM THE 
DEPARTMENT, HAS COMPLETED REVIEWS OF EMBASSY AMMAN'S SECURITY 
PROGRAMS.  THESE REVIEWS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE LOCAL GUARD 
FORCE, SURVEILLANCE DETECTION UNIT AND RESIDENTIAL SECURITY 
PROGRAMS AND HOW THEY COULD BE ENHANCED TO PROVIDE A GREATER 
LEVEL OF PROTECTION FOR PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES.  IN A 
DECEMBER 8 EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTE MEETING CHAIRED BY THE 
AMBASSADOR, EAC MEMBERS ENDORSED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 
REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICER.  IN THE VIEW OF THE EAC, 
AUTHORIZED DEPARTURE HAS HAD A BENEFICIAL EFFECT IN OFFERING 
OPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, BUT THE SECURITY 
SITUATION CONTINUES TO REQUIRE CONSTANT CAREFUL MONITORING 
AND EFFECTIVE ACTION. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF SECURITY 
UPGRADES THAT POST FEELS ARE STRONGLY WARRANTED IN RESPONSE 
NOT ONLY TO THE FOLEY ASSASSINATION BUT THE OVERALL THREAT 
ENVIRONMENT. 
 
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LOCAL GUARD FORCE 
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3. (SBU) POST CURRENTLY RELIES ON (4) RESIDENTIAL MOBILE 
PATROLS COVERING APPROXIMATELY 70 SEPARATE RESIDENTIAL 
FACILITIES IN FOUR RESIDENTIAL SECTORS.  THESE PATROLS, 
UTILIZING A GEMS SYSTEM, MAKE SIX SECURITY CHECKS PER 24-HOUR 
PERIOD.  POST REQUESTS IMMEDIATE APPROVAL TO ADD AN 
ADDITIONAL (4) MOBILE UNITS TO ALLOW FOR TWELVE SECURITY 
CHECKS PER 24-HOUR PERIOD.  THE ADDITIONAL UNITS WOULD NOT 
ONLY ALLOW FOR MORE FREQUENT STOPS AND HIGHER VISIBILITY, BUT 
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE RESPONSE TIME IN THE EVENT OF AN 
INCIDENT. THE CONTRACT MODIFICATION WOULD REQUIRE THE FOUR 
VEHICLES, VEHICLE OPERATION COSTS, FOUR DRIVER POSITIONS, 
FOUR SENIOR GUARD POSITIONS, AND THE POSITION UPGRADE OF A 
MOBILE PATROL SUPERVISOR TO MOBILE COMMANDER.  THE COST AS 
PROVIDED BY THE LOCAL GUARD CONTRACTOR IS $71,000 FOR 
VEHICLES (NON-RECURRING), $12,500 VEHICLE OPERATION 
(RECURRING), $78,000 FOR (4) DRIVER POSITIONS, $82,00 FOR (4) 
SENIOR GUARD POSITIONS (RECURRING) AND $200 FOR THE POSITION 
UPGRADE. IN ADDITION TO THE MOBILE PATROLS, POST CURRENTLY 
HAS ONE MOBILE SUPERVISORY PATROL, AND ONE MOBILE PATROL 
ASSIGNED TO COVER ANCILLARY FACILITIES.  THERE IS NO NEED FOR 
AN INCREASE TO THESE AREAS. 
 
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RESIDENTIAL SECURITY 
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4. (SBU) POST HAD ALREADY RECEIVED THE DEPARTMENT'S APPROVAL 
FOR REPLACING ANTIQUATED ALARM UNITS IN RESIDENCES.  THIS WAS 
ORIGINALLY APPROVED AS A INCREMENTAL PROCESS OVER A PERIOD OF 
YEARS.  HOWEVER, THE CURRENT SECURITY ENVIRONMENT MANDATES 
THIS PROCESS BE EXPEDITED AND COMPLETED IMMEDIATELY.  IT ALSO 
CALLS FOR A SYSTEM (PREFERABLY AES 5100) COMPATIBLE WITH THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF A CENTRAL ALARM MONITORING SYSTEM (CAMS). 
A CAMS WOULD ALLOW EVEN QUICKER RESPONSE AND TREAT THE MOBILE 
UNIT MORE AS A REACT VEHICLE.  POST CURRENTLY HAS AN 
INVENTORY OF 25 NEW AES 5100'S WHICH ARE IN THE PROCESS OF 
BEING INSTALLED.  AN ADDITIONAL 85 UNITS WOULD BE REQUIRED. 
THE COST OF THE ADDITIONAL 85 UNITS IS $86,000.  POST HAS 
INSTALLED A FEW LOCALLY PROCURED UNITS THAT ARE COMPATIBLE 
WITH THE AES 3015 CAMS RECEIVER. THE AES 3015 CAMS RECEIVER 
COSTS $5000 AND A COMPUTER TO MANAGE THE PROGRAM MAY ALSO BE 
REQUIRED.  AES HAS NOT AS YET PROVIDED THE COST FOR THE 
COMPUTER. WHILE WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE THIS IN-PLACE 
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WE CURRENTLY RELY ON A LOCAL ALARM 
CONTRACTOR FOR INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE AND FEAR THIS 
PROCESS WOULD TAKE SIGNIFICANT TIME BEFORE COMPLETION.  OUR 
CURRENT ALARM INSTALLER CHARGES $260 PER UNIT, AT 85 UNITS 
POST WOULD REQUIRE $23,000 FOR INSTALLATION. IT APPEARS OUR 
LOCAL OPTIONS MAY BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED BUT WE ARE WILLING TO 
EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES THROUGH A SOLICITATION PROCESS.  ARE 
THERE OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE THAT MIGHT ALLOW THE CAMS TO BE 
OPERATIONAL SOONER, SUCH AS AN AES TEAM (OR DS TEAM) COMING 
OUT TO POST TO DO SOME OR ALL OF THE INSTALLATIONS?  IT MAY 
ALSO BE NECESSARY TO HAVE AES PROVIDE SOME TRAINING AND/OR 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ONCE THE SYSTEM IS READY FOR OPERATION. 
THESE COSTS CAN BE PROVIDED ONCE WE RECEIVE THEM FROM AES. 
ADDITIONALLY, THE LOCAL GUARD CONTRACT WOULD REQUIRE A 
MODIFICATION TO ALLOW FOR A 24-HOUR DISPATCH POSITION TO 
ADMINISTER THE SYSTEM.  COST OF THE DISPATCHER POSITION IS 
$19,500. 
 
5. (SBU) POST HAS IDENTIFIED THREE APARTMENT BUILDINGS WITH 
MULTIPLE EMBASSY LEASES THAT ARE IN NEED OF A VEHICLE BARRIER 
TO CONTROL THE OFF-STREET PARKING AREA INSIDE THE COMPLEX (IN 
ONE CASE UNDERGROUND).  POST HAS APPROACHED LANDLORDS 
REGARDING THIS VULNERABILITY BUT IN EACH CASE THE LANDLORD/S 
HAVE BEEN UNRECEPTIVE TO PROVIDE THE UPGRADE.  POST 
UNDERSTANDS SOME OF THE INHERENT PROBLEMS WITH PROVIDING 
AUTOMATIC GATE CONTROLS AT BUILDINGS NOT ENTIRELY EMBASSY 
OCCUPIED BUT FEEL WE CAN WORK THROUGH ANY 
PROCEDURAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE. POST THEREFORE 
REQUESTS FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $5000 FOR (3) ELECTRONIC 
ROLL-DOWN OR SLIDE GATES. 
 
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SURVEILLANCE DETECTION UNITS 
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6.  (SBU) POST HAS A WELL-TRAINED AND EFFECTIVE SURVEILLANCE 
DETECTION UNIT (SDU).  HOWEVER, AN INCREASE IN THE UNIT SIZE 
WOULD ALLOW FOR GREATER COVERAGE OF COMMONLY TRAVELED 
EMPLOYEE ROUTES AND MORE ROUTINE COVERAGE OF CHOKE POINTS. 
WHILE RESIDENCES MAY NOT BE A DEFINED CATEGORY OF SDU 
COVERAGE, THE INCREASE WOULD ALLOW FOR SOME FLEXIBILITY IN 
PROVIDING A LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO RESIDENCES AS DEEMED 
APPROPRIATE.  POST THEREFORE REQUESTS IMMEDIATE APPROVAL FOR 
AN ADDITIONAL SIX SDU POSITIONS, THE UPGRADE OF AN EXISTING 
POSITION TO A SUPERVISORY GRADE, AND AN ADDITIONAL VEHICLE TO 
ASSIST IN SUPPORTING THE INCREASE.  TOTAL COST OF THE SIX 
ADDITIONAL SDU POSITIONS IS $81,000, VEHICLE COST IS $5000, 
AND THE POSITION UPGRADE IS $1500. 
 
7. (SDU) POST APPRECIATES THE EXCELLENT SUPPORT RECEIVED FROM 
THE DEPARTMENT IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE FOLEY ASSASSINATION. 
WE FEEL THE ABOVE ENHANCEMENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE UPGRADES AND 
WILL GREATLY ASSIST IN OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE INCREASED 
SECURITY FOR OUR PERSONNEL.  WE HAVE LIKEWISE FACTORED IN OUR 
HOUSING PROFILE AND IMPLEMENTED A HOUSING STRATEGY THAT 
ALLOWS US TO CONSOLIDATE SECURITY RESOURCES BY IDENTIFYING 
RESIDENCES/APARTMENTS NEARER THE EMBASSY AND ONE ANOTHER.  WE 
ALSO NOTE THAT WE ARE NEARING THE FINAL OPTION YEAR OF OUR 
COMMERCIAL GUARD CONTRACT. 
BERRY