Cablegate: France: 2005 Country Report On Terrorism

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 PARIS 008442

SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/CT RHONDA SHORE AND ED SALAZAR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC KCRM EFIN FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE: 2005 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM

REF: STATE 193439

1. (U) Per reftel, enclosed is the 2005 country report on
terrorism for France. Embassy point of contact is Poloff
Peter Kujawinski, who can be reached on either the classified
or unclassified e-mail systems.

France - 2005

OVERVIEW

In 2005, France continued to discover and dismantle terror
networks present on its soil, including several that
recruited jihadists to Iraq. Following the July bombings in
London, French officials worked closely with their British
counterparts. They also perceived a number of deficiencies
in their counterterrorism capabilities, and proposed
legislation to remedy these deficiencies. This legislation
is expected to enter into force in early 2006. From March
on, the French government has worked to draft a white book on
terrorism, with publication expected by the end of the year.
A conference in October about the white book underscored the
French government,s belief that terrorism is a primary
strategic threat to France, and that dealing with it is
consequentially a central priority. France consults
extensively with the U.S. on terrorism, at the tactical and
strategic level. In general, counterterrorism cooperation
between the U.S. and France is excellent.

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

France continues to be an active and engaged participant in
the international war against terrorism. On the military
front, its special forces participate in counterterrorist
operations in Afghanistan and as a part of Task Force 150, a
multinational naval force that patrols the Red Sea and the
Persian Gulf to interdict the movement of suspected
terrorists from Afghanistan to the Arabian Peninsula. In
Afghanistan, French Mirage-2000 fighters have flown with USAF
fighters to assist American and Afghan ground troops. At the
political and diplomatic level, France continues its
engagement within the UNSC Counterterrorism Committee and the
G-8,s Counterterrorism Action Group. France is a party to
all 12 international conventions and protocols relating to
terrorism.

France and the United States continue to cooperate closely on
border security issues, including aviation security and the
Container Security Initiative. French police and security
services have been very responsive to US requests. In
addition, France is active internationally in proposing
bioterrorism safeguards and nuclear facility safeguards. The
U.S. and France continue their dialogue on nuclear security
cooperation.

On terrorism financing, France continues to develop the
competencies and capabilities of TRACFIN, the Ministry of
Finance,s terrorism financing coordination and investigation
unit. TRACFIN has expanded the number of economic sectors it
monitors within the French economy, with a particular
emphasis on institutions, non-governmental organizations and
small enterprises suspected of having ties to Islamic
terrorism. It has also strengthened its coordination with
justice and security officials. Within the European Union,
France plays an active role in the Clearinghouse, the EU,s
terrorism financing coordination body. France has designated
as terrorist groups those that appear on the EU list of
terrorist organizations. France has not designated
Hamas-affiliated charities, such as the French-based Comite
de Bienfaisance et de Secours aux Palestiniens, arguing that
they have no proven links to terrorism. France also opposes
EU designation of Lebanese Hizballah as a terrorist
organization, though it supports Hizballah's eventual
disarmament, which the GoF maintains will be the result of
Hizballah's gradual integration into Lebanese politics.

French authorities consistently condemn terrorist acts and
have made no public statements in support of a
terrorist-supporting country on a terrorism issue.
Nevertheless, France, along with its EU partners, retains
diplomatic relations with all of the governments designated
as state sponsors of terrorism, with the exception of North
Korea. It continues to cooperate closely with the United
States in pressing for the implementation of UN Security
Council Resolution 1559, which targeted Syrian domination of
Lebanon and called for the dismantlement of armed groups and
militias in Lebanon (including Hizballah) and extension of
Lebanese government control throughout Lebanese territory, to
include areas under the de facto control of Hizballah.

French and Spanish authorities have jointly made significant
progress in combatting Basque separatist groups, including
the ETA. French-Spanish investigative teams focusing on
al-Qaida-related groups and Basque separatist groups continue
to function. In the first use of the EU arrest warrant for
terrorism, French authorities extradited ETA suspect Unai
Berrosteguieta Eguiara to Spain on February 18.

DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES

France is perhaps best known for its counterterrorism police
forces and judiciary. Within the Ministry of Interior, the
DST (internal security service), RG (police intelligence),
DNAT (counterterrorism brigade) and Brigade Criminelle
(criminal investigations) all play important roles in French
counterterrorism work. A number of organizations coordinate
the activities of the counterterrorist forces, including
UCLAT (a counterterrorism coordination unit with the Ministry
of Interior), the SGDN (attached to the office of the Prime
Minister) and the Council for Internal Security (attached to
the office of the President.) Although there is little
legislative oversight of intelligence and security agencies,
Interior Minister Sarkozy proposed in late November the
creation of an oversight working group that will include
members of French intelligence and legislators. Sarkozy
promised to submit a draft law on this issue by February 15,
2006.

The counterterrorism section of the Paris Prosecutor,s
office usually leads the French government,s terrorism
investigations. Investigative judges, who in the French
system combine prosecutorial and judicial powers, concentrate
on Islamic/international terrorism, Basque/ETA terrorism and
terrorism linked to Corsican separatist groups. Their
mandate is extensive, and includes terrorist acts on French
soil and acts abroad that affect French citizens. Their
powers are substantial and they are given wide freedom to
investigate. They cooperate closely with French police and
security services. In March, then-Justice Minister Dominique
Perben announced the hiring of four additional terrorism
investigating judges, along with additional support staff,
bringing the number of specialized terrorism investigating
judges to nine.

French police and intelligence services within the Interior
Ministry have extensive powers of surveillance, monitoring
and detention. These powers were enhanced with the 2004
passage of the Perben II law and include expanded detention
(up to four days before charges must be brought), more
authority for police to go undercover, warrants for searches
at night, more leeway in granting document searches, and
increased authority to wiretap. These expanded powers are to
be used only in cases that involve investigation of
organizations "that imperil society," such as the mafia, drug
traffickers and terrorist organizations. Even if government
authorities are found to have misused their new powers, any
evidence they have found would still be accepted in court.

The French government continues its policy of expulsions for
non-French citizens engaged in activities that promote hate.
Interior Minister Sarkozy stated in August that France was
monitoring dozens of radical imams. He also announced
October 4 that 19 Islamic extremists had been expelled from
France since the beginning of the year; 102 have been
expelled since 2002. In March, the CSA, France,s
FCC-equivalent, ordered the Eutelstat satellite company to
cease transmitting Sahar 1, an Iranian television station,
because of its anti-Semitic and hate-filled broadcasting.
Following the CSA,s banning of Hizballah-affiliated Al-Manar
satellite television, Hizballah deputies lobbied the French
government in 2005 to lift the ban. Separately, the Conseil
d,Etat, France,s highest administrative court, is reviewing
an appeal by Al-Manar to reinstate its broadcasting license.

France remains worried over the rise of radical Islam.
According to a November 12 press report, the RG, France,s
police intelligence service, kept 350 places under
surveillance (including 42 Islamic prayer halls and 300
businesses) during the first seven months of 2005 because of
suspicions of radical Islamist activity. The RG estimates
that, of the approximately 5 million Muslims in France,
200,000 are practicing and of that number, between 5,000 and
9,000 are linked to extremist causes.

French officials are also concerned regarding the role of
prisons in converting petty criminals to jihadism. Prisons
served as a center of recruitment for the Safe Bourrada
terror network (dismantled in late September, see below).
According to statistics provided by the Ministry of Justice
in September, 358 people are imprisoned for terrorism; 159
are Basque-related, 94 are Islamic extremists and 76 are
Corsica-related. France has proposed several measures to
address Islamic extremism in prisons, including the
establishment of a corps of moderate Muslim prison chaplains.

The July bombings in London caused many French officials to
reexamine their counterterrorism capabilities. In addition
to the initial reaction of elevating the Vigipirate alert
system and coordinating closely with British officials, the
French government soon proposed a new counterterrorist bill
that calls for increasing video surveillance in public areas,
allowing police more access to phone and Internet records,
and more closely monitoring international travel by ship,
rail and plane.
Under French law, terrorism suspects may be detained for up
to 96 hours before charges are filed. The new bill making
its way through the legislature proposes extending the
96-hour period an additional 48 hours, for a maximum total
detention of 144 hours. Suspects can be held for up to three
and a half years in pretrial detention while the
investigation against them continues. Other proposed
measures in the bill include increasing the maximum penalty
for association with a terrorist enterprise from 10 to 20
years in prison, and increasing the maximum penalty for
terrorist enterprise organizers from 20 to 30 years in
prison. The National Assembly approved the bill in late
November. The Senate is expected to take up discussion of
the bill in December, with probable approval in January 2006.

Another reaction to the July bombings in London was a
decision by the French government to encourage the heads of
its domestic intelligence agencies - RG and the DST - to take
on more public roles, in order to sensitize the public to the
threat of terrorism. In a related action, the French
government, in coordination with a local think-tank, opened a
public website focused on the details of past terrorist acts,
at https://bdt.frstrategie.org

French police and security officials conducted a large-scale
exercise in November that simulated multiple chemical attacks
throughout Paris. Local prefectures, especially Paris, have
instituted PRM, a French acronym for "plan red - multiple"
that focuses attention on the prospect of multiple attacks,
either simultaneous or sequential. A similar large-scale
chemical attack simulation took place May 9 in the Val
d,Oise region. In addition, the Paris Prefecture has
created a specialized NRBC unit of firefighters.

MAJOR COUNTERTERRORIST ACTIONS - 2005

On January 26, French police arrested eleven people (three of
whom were eventually charged with terrorism conspiracy) in
Paris, 19th arrondissement for reportedly recruiting young
French residents to launch terrorist attacks in Iraq. It was
the first arrest since the opening in September 2004 of an
investigation by the Paris Prosecutor,s office into
"jihadists to Iraq." French intelligence, security and
judicial authorities have consistently identified the
conflict in Iraq as an attractive force for French jihadists.
French officials stated in November that 22 young people had
left for Iraq, and at least seven had been killed there,
including two suicide bombers.

Djamel Beghal, the ringleader of a group arrested in 2001 on
suspicion of planning to bomb the U.S. Embassy in Paris, was
convicted March 15 of "terrorist conspiracy," and received a
maximum 10-year sentence. His five accomplices were all
found guilty as well, and received sentences ranging from one
year to nine years in prison.

The last three French nationals detained at Guantanamo were
transferred to French custody on March 7, following the
transfer of four nationals in 2004. France released Mustaq
Ali Patel in March and Imad Kanouni in July. The other five
remain in pretrial detention and may be charged with
terrorist conspiracy. The former Guantanamo detainees,
detention has withstood multiple appeals by defense lawyers.
France has been one of the most aggressive and proactive
countries in prosecuting its citizens formerly held by the
U.S. at Guantanamo.

On April 24, French police in Paris arrested Said
al-Maghrebi, an Afghanistan training camp veteran, on
suspicion of organizing potential jihadists to fight in Iraq.
Four others reportedly belonging to al-Maghrebi,s network
were arrested in Paris and Marseilles. Two were later
released.

A French court on May 16 declared five people guilty of
organizing logistic support for the suicide bombers who
assassinated Afghan Commander Ahmad Sheikh Massoud on
September 9, 2001. The five were sentenced to between two
and nine years imprisonment.

On May 20, a Paris court condemned Corsican nationalist
Charles Pieri to 10 years in prison for terrorism finance
conspiracy and extortion.

French police arrested Hamid Bach on June 21 in the city of
Montpellier on suspicions of organizing a terrorist ring
focused on attacking targets in France and sending potential
jihadists to Iraq.

French police arrested 9 people in late September on
suspicion of belonging to a terrorist group. According to
press reports, the group, reportedly led by GSPC sympathizer
and convicted terrorist Safe Bourrada, was in the initial
phases of planning terrorist attacks against targets in
France, including the Paris Metro, Orly airport and the
headquarters of the DST, France,s internal security service.
Four more suspected members of the Bourrada network were
arrested in early October.

On November 29, French police arrested six people suspected
of financing extremist and terrorist causes. One of them was
a prison guard and two were former Islamic chaplains. The
group reportedly had visited Bosnia and attempted to recruit
jihadists to Iraq. The group belonged to the fundamentalist
Tabligh movement.

British authorities transferred Rashid Ramda to French
custody on December 1. Ramda is the suspected financier of
the 1995 GIA attacks in the Saint-Michel RER train station,
the Musee d,Orsay RER train station and the Maison-Blanche
metro station. Ramda had been in British custody for the
last ten years, and his extradition to France removes a major
irritant in French-British relations.

On December 12, French police arrested approximately 25
people, in the largest terror-related sweep in Europe since
the aftermath of the Madrid bombings in 2004. Those arrested
are suspected of involvement with terrorist financing. The
reported ringleader is Ouassini Cherifi, a French-Algerian
who had spent time in prison for passport fraud. French
police suspect he, like Safe Bourrada, recruited low-level
criminals to his network while in prison.

Judicial investigations following the arrests in 2003 of
German national Christian Ganczarski and Moroccan national
Karim Mehdi continued in 2005. Ganczarski and Mehdi, who are
suspected of ties to al-Qaida, remain in pretrial detention
in France.

The judicial investigation into the activities of six
suspected members of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group
(GICM) arrested in 2004 continues. The six suspects are
being held in pretrial detention and are thought to have
provided logistical support to those who committed the
attacks against Madrid trains on March 11, 2004.

Investigations into the "Chechen network," a loose grouping
that is reported to have links with the Beghal network and
the Frankfurt network (which attempted in 2000 to attack
cultural sites in Strasbourg, including the cathedral) have
concluded, although a trial date for those arrested has not
been set. Members of the Chechen network reportedly were
interested in using chemical agents to commit terrorist
attacks. Several suspected members of the Chechen network
were arrested in France in 2005.

Corsica continues to experience low-level terrorist
activities. Recent attacks have occurred against peoples of
North African ancestry. The FLNC Union of Combatants claimed
responsibility for firing a rocket on September 29 at the
prefecture in Ajaccio. The rocket attack did not cause any
injuries, although it exploded a few meters from where the
prefect and a receptionist were working.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

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