US embassy cable - 98LONDON12113

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LONDON 012113 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, UK 
 
SUBJECT: ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT - UK 
 
REF: STATE 202128 
 
1. THE UNITED KINGDOM IS ONE OF THE UNITED STATES' CLOSEST 
ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM.  IT ROUTINELY TAKES A ROBUST STANCE AGAINST 
TERRORISM, AND CONTRIBUTES ACTIVELY TO THE WORK OF 
INTERNATIONAL BODIES -- PARTICULARLY THE UNITED NATIONS, THE 
GROUP OF EIGHT (G8) AND THE EUROPEAN UNION -- IN PROMOTING 
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGAINST TERRORISM.  THE CEASE- 
FIRES IN NORTHERN IRELAND HAVE LESSENED THE INCIDENTS OF 
TERRORISM, ALTHOUGH THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE FROM DISSIDENT 
REPUBLICAN AND LOYALIST PARAMILITARY GROUPS CONTINUES TO BE 
TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY BY AUTHORITIES.  RESPONSES BELOW ARE 
KEYED TO REFTEL PARAGRAPHS. 
 
A) DOMESTIC LEGISLATION AND RESPONSE OF JUDICIAL SYSTEM 
   --------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
2. RESPONDING TO THE THREAT OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AS 
WELL AS TO TERRORISM ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUBLES IN 
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK COUNTERTERRORISM POLICY HAS DEVELOPED A 
FOCUS ON MEASURES WHICH PROMOTE PRACTICAL TOOLS TO TARGET 
TERRORISM WHEREVER IT ORIGINATES.  THE UK SEEKS TO ENSURE 
CRIMINALS CANNOT EXPLOIT JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES TO ESCAPE 
PROSECUTION AND PUNISHMENT. 
 
3. TWO PIECES OF EMERGENCY LEGISLATION HAVE PROVIDED THE 
STATUTORY BASIS FOR THE UK'S COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS. THE 
"PREVENTION OF TERRORISM (TEMPORARY PROVISIONS) ACT 1989" IS 
APPLICABLE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IS DIRECTED 
AGAINST BOTH INTERNATIONAL AND TERRORISM CONNECTED WITH 
NORTHERN IRELAND.  IT IS SUBJECT TO REGULAR REVIEW BY 
PARLIAMENT, WHICH MUST RENEW ITS PROVISION ANNUALLY.  IN 
ADDITION, "THE NORTHERN IRELAND (EMERGENCY PROVISIONS) ACT" 
GIVES THE GOVERNMENT BROAD ANTI-TERRORISM POWERS IN NORTHERN 
IRELAND. 
 
4. THE GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY ANTI- 
TERRORISM LEGISLATION IN THE WAKE OF THE BOMBING ATROCITY 
PERPETRATED BY THE "REAL IRA" IN AUGUST 1998 IN OMAGH, 
NORTHERN IRELAND.  A SPECIAL SESSION OF PARLIAMENT IN 
SEPTEMBER 1998 PASSED "THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE (TERRORISM AND 
CONSPIRACY) ACT 1998."  UNDER THIS LAW, IT IS NOW AN OFFENSE 
TO CONSPIRE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM TO COMMIT ANY OFFENSE 
(INCLUDING TERRORIST OFFENSES) ABROAD, PROVIDED THE ACTION 
WOULD BE AN OFFENSE BOTH IN BRITAIN AND IN THE COUNTRY IN 
WHICH IT WAS INTENDED TO OCCUR.  THE ACT ALSO ALLOWS A 
STATEMENT BY A SENIOR POLICE OFFICER TO BE ADMISSIBLE AS 
EVIDENCE OF ALLEGED MEMBERSHIP IN AN ILLEGAL TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATION, ALTHOUGH FURTHER CORROBORATION IS REQUIRED FOR 
A CONVICTION.  THE ACT ALLOWS THE INFERENCE OF GUILT TO BE 
DRAWN FROM A REFUSAL TO ANSWER A RELEVANT QUESTION DURING 
POLICE INTERVIEWS OR FROM THE REFUSAL TO COOPERATE WITH ANY 
RELEVANT INQUIRY PROVIDED THAT THE SUSPECT HAD AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT A ATTORNEY.  THE LAW ALSO PERMITS THE 
COURT TO CONFISCATE ASSETS AND PROPERTY OF CONVICTED MEMBERS 
OF PROSCRIBED ORGANIZATIONS WHERE IT DETERMINES THESE ASSETS 
HAVE BEEN, OR MIGHT BE, USED IN FURTHERANCE OF TERRORIST 
ACTIVITIES. 
 
5. IN OCTOBER 1997, HOME SECRETARY JACK STRAW ANNOUNCED HIS 
INTENTION TO PUBLISH A CONSULTATION PAPER ON NEW PERMANENT 
UK-WIDE COUNTERTERRORISM LEGISLATION TO REPLACE THE CURRENT 
TEMPORARY PIECEMEAL PROVISIONS.  STRAW RECOGNIZED THAT "THE 
CEASE-FIRE IN NORTHERN IRELAND ... DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE NO 
LONGER NEED SPECIAL LEGISLATION TO INVESTIGATE, TO DISRUPT 
AND TO COUNTER TERRORISM.  ON THE INTERNATIONAL FRONT THERE 
IS AMPLE EVIDENCE OF THE ACTIVITIES OF TERRORISTS.... SOME 
MAY COMMIT ACTS OF TERRORISM WITHIN THE UNITED KINGDOM, OR 
RAISE FUNDS HERE, OR OTHERWISE USE THE UNITED KINGDOM AS A 
BASE FROM WHICH TO LAUNCH ATTACKS ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD." 
 
6. UNDER THE LEAD OF THE HOME OFFICE, FURTHER 
COUNTERTERRORISM MEASURES ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION AS 
PARLIAMENT AWAITS RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PROMISED 
CONSULTATIVE PAPER "HOPED" TO BE PUBLISHED IN EARLY 1999. 
THIS REPORT WILL CONSIDER THE WIDER ASPECTS OF 
COUNTERTERRORISM LEGISLATION, INCLUDING THE NEED FOR 
STRONGER POWERS TO CURB FUNDRAISING BY TERRORIST GROUPS AND 
TO HINDER DOMESTIC ENCOURAGEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST 
ACTS. 
 
B) EXTRADITION 
   ----------- 
 
7. A U.S. REQUEST FOR THE EXTRADITION OF KHALID AL-FAWWAZ IS 
PENDING IN THE BRITISH COURTS.  AL-FAWWAZ, A SAUDI NATIONAL 
ALLEGED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE USAMAH BIN LADEN ORGANIZATION, 
HAS BEEN IN DETENTION SINCE HIS ARREST BY THE LONDON 
METROPOLITAN POLICE IN OCTOBER 1998.  HE IS WANTED BY U.S. 
AUTHORITIES TO FACE CHARGES FOR CONSPIRING TO MURDER 
AMERICAN CITIZENS BETWEEN JANUARY 1993 AND SEPTEMBER 1998. 
 
8. IN MARCH 1998, THE HOME SECRETARY, CITING MEDICAL 
GROUNDS, DECLINED TO EXTRADITE ROISIN MCALISKEY TO GERMANY 
TO STAND TRIAL FOR OFFENSES RELATED TO A 1996 IRA ATTACK ON 
A BRITISH MILITARY FACILITY IN GERMANY. 
 
C) IMPEDIMENTS TO PROSECUTION OR EXTRADITION 
   ----------------------------------------- 
 
9.  THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT LEGAL OR POLITICAL IMPEDIMENTS 
TO UK PROSECUTION OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. 
 
D) RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECUTION 
   -------------------------------- 
 
10. (U) ON 21 SEPTEMBER 1998 BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY 
BLAIR REITERATED BRITAIN'S COMMITMENT TO COMBATING GLOBAL 
TERRORISM IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SAYING 
"[E]ACH [TERRORIST ATROCITY] IS A REMINDER THAT TERRORISM IS 
A UNIQUELY BARBARIC AND COWARDLY CRIME.  EACH ONE IS A 
REMINDER THAT TERRORISTS ARE NO RESPECTERS OF BORDERS.  EACH 
ONE IS A REMINDER THAT TERRORISM SHOULD HAVE NO HIDING PLACE, 
NO OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE FUNDS, NO LET-UP IN OUR DETERMINATION 
TO BRING ITS PERPETRATORS TO JUSTICE." 
 
E) MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS 
   -------------------------------------------- 
 
11. THE UK HAS RATIFIED TEN OF THE ELEVEN UN CONVENTIONS 
RELATING TO TERRORISM.  IN JANUARY 1998, IT SIGNED THE 
ELEVENTH, THE UN CONVENTION ON THE SUPPRESSION OF TERRORIST 
BOMBING. 
 
12. IN 1998, BRITAIN USED ITS CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE G8 AND 
PRESIDENCY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO HIGHLIGHT TERRORISM 
ISSUES. FOLLOWING THE MAY BIRMINGHAM SUMMIT, G8 FOREIGN 
MINISTERS REAFFIRMED THEIR COLLECTIVE DETERMINATION "TO 
COMBAT TERRORISM IN ALL ITS FORMS, TO OPPOSE ANY CONCESSION 
TO TERRORIST DEMANDS AND TO PROMOTE COORDINATED 
INTERNATIONAL COUNTERTERRORIST ACTION."  THEY IDENTIFIED 
FOUR PRIORITY AREAS FOR FURTHER ACTION: PREVENTING 
TERRORISTS FROM FUNDRAISING IN G8 STATES; UNITING AGAINST 
RANSOM PAYMENTS UNDER A PRINCIPLE OF "NO CONCESSIONS;" 
DENYING TERRORISTS ACCESS TO ARMS AND EXPLOSIVES; AND 
STRENGTHENING AVIATION SECURITY. THE G8 FOREIGN MINISTERS, 
LED BY THE UK, ALSO REAFFIRMED THEIR COMMITMENT TO FULL 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STANDARDS AND RECOMMENDED PRACTICES 
AGREED UNDER THE 1944 CHICAGO CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL 
CIVIL AVIATION, AND STRONGLY URGED ALL STATES TO COMPLY. 
 
13. THE BRITISH PRESIDENCY OF THE EU SOUGHT TO REFOCUS EU 
EFFORTS ON COUNTERTERRORISM.  MEASURES IT PROPOSED INCLUDE: 
COMBATING TERRORIST FUNDRAISING IN EU STATES; STRENGTHENING 
COUNTERTERRORISM COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES AND WITH 
THE EU APPLICANT STATES OF CENTRAL EUROPE AND CYPRUS; 
DEVELOPING EU POLICY GUIDANCE AGAINST EXTORTION OR RANSOM 
DEMANDS; AND IMPROVED COORDINATION OF EU NATIONAL CRISIS 
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. 
 
14.  THE UK HOSTED A US-EU SUMMIT IN LONDON IN MAY 1998 
WHICH TOUCHED UPON BILATERAL COUNTERTERRORISM COOPERATION. 
IT ALSO CONVENED A MEETING IN DECEMBER 1998 OF 
COUNTERTERRORISM EXPERTS REPRESENTING THE G8 MEMBERS AS WELL 
AS THE EU PRESIDENCY AND EU COMMISSION TO REVIEW MEASURES ON 
TERRORIST FUND RAISING. 
 
15. BRITAIN AND THE U.S. REMAIN RESOLVED TO BRING TO JUSTICE 
THE TWO LIBYANS ACCUSED OF BOMBING PAN AM FLIGHT 103 OVER 
LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND.  TO REMOVE ANY PLAUSIBLE JUSTIFICATION 
LIBYA MIGHT CITE FOR FAILING PRODUCE THE SUSPECTS, THE U.S. 
AND UK IN AUGUST 1998 PROPOSED AN INITIATIVE WHICH WOULD 
PERMIT THE ACCUSED TO BE TRIED BEFORE A SCOTTISH COURT 
SITTING IN THE NETHERLANDS. THE TRIAL, CONDUCTED BY A PANEL 
OF JUDGES, WILL BE FAIR IN EVERY RESPECT AND ARRANGEMENTS 
WILL BE MADE FOR INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS.  THE TWO 
GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE UN SECRETARY 
GENERAL AND THROUGH HIS OFFICES HAVE ENSURED THE LIBYAN 
GOVERNMENT UNDERSTANDS THE TERMS OF THIS GENUINE INITIATIVE. 
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AWAITS DELIVERY BY LIBYA OF THE 
ACCUSED FOR TRIAL AS DEMANDED BY UN SECURITY COUNCIL 
RESOLUTIONS SO THIS DECADE-OLD WOUND CAN BE BROUGHT TO 
CLOSURE. 
 
F-G) SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM OR GOVERNMENT SPONSORS TERRORISM 
     --------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
16. NONE. 
 
H) SIGNIFICANT CHANGES 
   ------------------- 
17. IN THE CONTEXT OF THE APRIL 1998 GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT, 
NEGOTIATED BY THE NORTHERN IRELAND POLITICAL PARTIES UNDER 
THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF SENATOR GEORGE MITCHELL, THE GOVERNMENT 
HAS AGREED TO MAKE PRISONERS CONVICTED OF TERRORIST CRIMES 
IN NORTHERN IRELAND ELIGIBLE FOR AN EARLY RELEASE PROGRAM. 
THE RELEASES ASSUME THE PARAMILITARY GROUPS TO WHICH THE 
PRISONERS BELONG WILL MAINTAIN THEIR CEASE-FIRES.  SHOULD 
THE PRISONERS ENGAGE IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES UPON RELEASE, 
THEIR "LICENSE" COULD BE REVOKED.  ALTHOUGH THIS HAS BEEN 
CONTROVERSIAL IN MANY SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY IN NORTHERN 
IRELAND, THE GOVERNMENT EMPHASIZES THE PROGRAM IS AN 
ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF THE NEGOTIATION TO ACHIEVE A LASTING 
PEACE IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND DOES NOT SIGNIFY A GENERAL 
AMNESTY OR SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO COMMIT ACTS OF TERROR. 
 
I-K)  COUNTERTERRORISM COOPERATION 
      ---------------------------- 
 
18. AT ALL LEVELS AND IN ALL FIELDS, BRITISH AND AMERICAN 
OFFICIALS WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER ON THE FIGHT AGAINST 
TERRORISM.  CLOSE COOPERATION BASED ON INTENSIVE COORDINATION 
AND CONSULTATION IS THE NORM. 
 
 
BRADTKE