US embassy cable - 02TEGUCIGALPA3463

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 003463 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN, ALSO FOR D/HS, HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y  (PARA 2 LAST WORD) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/24/2012 
TAGS: PTER, CVIS, PREL, PGOV, APER, KCRM, SNAR, HO 
SUBJECT: ESTABLISHMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WORKING GROUP 
 
REF: SECSTATE 263389 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Larry Palmer; Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY:  Per reftel, Post has established a Homeland 
Security Working Group (HSWG) in order to focus on and 
support "homeland security abroad" in Honduras.  Post will 
incorporate its HSWG responsibilities into the existing work 
of its Counternarcotics/Law Enforcement Committee (CNLE). 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) Per reftel, Post determined it appropriate to 
establish its HSWG by way of assigning the new homeland 
security duties and responsibilities into the existing work 
of its Counternarcotics/Law Enforcement Committee.  Post's 
CNLE meets biweekly and is comprised of representatives from 
the Political, Consular, Economic and Public Affairs 
Sections, as well as RSO, DEA, TAT, INS, DAO, MILGP, 
JTF-Bravo, ICITAP and ORCA. 
 
3.  (U) The CNLE Committee deals with a variety of 
counternarcotics, law enforcement and security issues in 
addition to counterterrorism matters.  Additionally, the CNLE 
addresses customs, container, and port security, maritime 
operations and immigration and visa Viper issues.  A chief 
focus of the CNLE has been the growing nexus of 
drugs-for-arms deals between drug traffickers and Colombian 
terrorist groups that are taking place in Honduras.  The 
functions of the existing CNLE fit hand-in-glove with HSWG 
responsibilities.  The representatives who participate on the 
CNLE are the same individuals who would coordinate HSWG 
functions.  Therefore, Post has determined that the CNLE 
Committee will become the CNLE/HSWG Committee. 
Palmer