US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1323

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001323 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/MR, I/RW, I/REC; PA SA/INS (CAMP, WALLER), 
SA/PD (SCHWARTZ, BRENNIG, SCENSNY), SSA/PAS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, KMDR, OIIP, CE 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA PLAY:  "Mystery American" attends Sri Lankan 
intelligence meetings, II 
 
Ref:  Colombo 01273 
 
1.  As reported in reftel, from 7/14 through 7/22 Sri Lankan 
newspapers had a field day reporting that an AmCit -- a 
"mysterious American" -- had participated in meetings of the GSL's 
intelligence community.  Several dailies carried straightforward 
coverage of the allegation.  Others treated the story as a 
"cohabitation" saga, further evidence of the ongoing spat between 
President Kumaratunga and the UNP government.  Still others 
characterized the American's alleged presence as an anti-LTTE 
plot. 
 
2.  The story has garnered additional attention since 7/22.  On 
7/23, under the headline "Bug Them:  U.S. Spy Advisor," the 
independent English DAILY MIRROR (7/23) reported in the style of 
the NATIONAL ENQUIRER that "powerful sections in the Government 
have requested security services to tap telephones of a few senior 
government ministers and MPs in view of the unstable political 
situation prevailing in the country....  It is learnt that 
telephones of certain ministers are being tapped and a weekly 
report is to be submitted which in turn is to be handed over to 
[the] American advisor...." 
 
3.  The saga received a different spin on 7/29 when the ISLAND 
(independent English daily) editorialized under the headline 
"Gung-ho and the National Security Council."  The ISLAND's 
positions:  one, "we do not know whether involvement of foreigners 
could worsen or improve the past and present performances of the 
[National Security] Council.  But the NSCs of the past have failed 
to rise up to the challenges and brought disaster to this 
country;" two, although it is feared that foreign presence will 
lead to leaks, "this fear is unfounded because in our open mouthed 
society ... secrets of the nation ... are leaked out ... by 
officials in the council itself!" 
 
4.  Excerpts: 
 
The fact that in about 25 years a rag-tag band of youth has been 
able to resist the three professional armed services and the 
police and build themselves up to a conventional army while 
establishing a financial establishment stretching from Europe to 
the Far East, including an international shipping line speaks 
volumes of the failure of our military, defence and diplomatic 
establishments of which the NSC is a key component. 
 
Internationally, it is apparent that either we did not have a 
regular intelligence service, which was of absolute necessity with 
the terrorist net spreading globally for the past two decades or 
those whom we deployed for intelligence were of no use.  Nor have 
we been able to liase effectively with intelligence services of 
foreign nations which were much better informed about the 
international terrorist activities of the LTTE.... 
 
The fear of having foreigners in sittings of the National Security 
Council is that confidential information being leaked out. This 
fear is unfounded because in our open mouthed society where the 
secrets of the nation discussed in the National Security Council 
 
SIPDIS 
are leaked out to the national press, quite obviously by officials 
in the council itself! 
 
Officials who want to smear their predecessors or successors find 
it quite convenient to leak information to damn their arch foes 
irrespective of the damage it would do to the country. Arms 
merchants could provide detailed reports of discussions of the 
NSC. 
 
We do not know whether involvement of foreigners could worsen or 
improve the past and present performances of the council. But the 
NSCs of the past have failed to rise up to the challenges and 
brought disaster to this country. 
 
All the gung-ho about foreigners being involved in intelligence 
matters can be appreciated but the native sons have failed 
miserably so far. The NSC has to be reconstituted and new defence 
and intelligence strategies thought of. By whom is the question. 
 
5.  End excerpts. 
 
ENTWISTLE