Cablegate: Morocco: 2001 Annual Terrorism Report

R 141811Z DEC 01
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8854

UNCLAS RABAT 003231

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: 2001 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

REF: STATE 198912

1. PER DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE, THE FOLLOWING IS KEYED TO
REFTEL AND CONSTITUTES POST'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE ANNUAL
TERRORISM REPORT.

KING MOHAMMED VI AND THE GOM STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE
ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11 AND HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF
THE ACTIONS TAKEN AGAINST AL-QAIDA AND THE TALIBAN.
FOLLOWING THE ATTACKS, KING MOHAMMED PLEDGED MOROCCO'S
FULL COOPERATION IN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM.

AS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS SUPPORT, THE GOM SIGNED THE UN
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF THE
FINANCING OF TERRORISM ON SEPTEMBER 24, AND IT IS
COMPLYING WITH UNSCR RESOLUTIONS ON TERRORIST FINANCING.

B) THER WERE NO THWARTED TERRORIST INCIDENTS OR
TERRORIT CELLS DISRUPTED BY THE GOM THAT WERE MADE
PUBLICLY KNOWN IN 2001. HISTORICALLY, THE GOM HAS BEEN
EXTREMELY VIGILANT IN REGARD TO SUSPECT TERRORIST
ACTIVITIES AND HAS STRONGLY REACTED TO POTENTIAL
THREATS. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT DOMESTIC TERRORISM
IS LARGELY UNHEARD OF IN MOROCCO.

C) IN 2001, THE GOM DID NOT ISSUE ANY SIGNIFICANT NEW
LAWS CONCERNING TERRORISM. THE PENAL CODE REGARDING
SUSPECT TERRORIST ACTIVITIES HAS ALWAYS WEIGHED HEAVILY
TOWARDS SECURITY CONCERNS, INCLUDING THOSE RELATED TO
U.S. INTERESTS IN MOROCCO.

D) THERE WERE NO REQUESTS ON THE PART OF THE GOM FOR
THE EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS IN 2001.

E) ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN THE
USG AND GOM, POST DOES NOT PERCEIVE THERE WOULD BE ANY
SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO GOM PROSECUTION AND/OR
EXTRADITION OF KNOWN TERRORIST THAT ARE NOT MOROCAN
NATIONALS.

F) IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS, KING
MOHAMMED ISSUED A STRONG PUBLIC CONDEMNATION AGAINST
THOSE WHO CARRIED OUT THE ATTACKS AND TERRORIST ACTS IN
GENERAL. THE GOM TRADITIONALLY ISSUES PUBLIC STATEMENTS
IN OPPOSITION TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. THE GOM HAS
PLEDGED ITS FULL SUPPORT IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THE
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS AND OTHER ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM.

G) IN LATE SEPTEMBER 2001, THE GOM SIGNED THE UN
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF THE
FINANCING OF TERRORISM AND AGREED TO BLOCK AND FREEZE
TERRORIST-RELATED ACCOUNTS.

H) THE GOM DOES NOT SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM,
TERRORISTS, OR TERRORIST GROUPS.

I) THE GOM HAS NOT ISSUED ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN
SUPPORT OF THE SEVEN GOVERNMENTS DESIGNATED BY THE
SECRETARY AS STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM. HOWEVER,
IRAN, IRAQ, LIBYA, SYRIA AND SUDAN HAVE DIPLOMATS
ACCREDITED TO THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO.

J) THE GOM CONTINUES TO STRONGLY CONDEMN ALL TERRORISM
AND TERRORIST ACTS.

K) THE USG AND GOM HAVE COOPERATED CLOSELY ON
COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS, ALL OF WHICH REMAIN
UNPUBLICIZED.

L) DURING THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS, THE USG HAS NOT
SOUGHT GOM SUPPORT IN THE INVESTIGATION OR PROSECUTION
OF AN ACT OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AGAINST U.S.
CITIZENS OR U.S. INTERESTS.

M) THE GOM ROUTINELY COOPERATES WITH THE USG TO ENSURE
THE SAFETY OF U.S. CITIZENS AND INTERESTS IN MOROCCO.
AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, THE GOM QUICKLY AND POSITIVELY
RESPONDED TO POST'S REQUEST FOR INCREASED SECURITY FOR
USG PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES.

TUTWILER

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