Cablegate: Taiwan: 2005 Reports On Terrorism

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

UNCLAS TAIPEI 004880

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/EAP, EAP/TC AND S/CT - RHONDA SHORE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PTER PINR EFIN KCRM TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN: 2005 REPORTS ON TERRORISM

REF: (A) SECSTATE 193439

1. (U) The American Institute in Taiwan's (AIT) submission
for the 2005 Country Reports on Terrorism (CRT) is as
follows:

TAIWAN
------

2. (U) There were no acts of international or domestic
terrorism in Taiwan in 2005. Even though Taiwan is
frequently prevented from participating in international and
regional fora, Taiwan authorities continue to cooperate on
counterterrorism issues and enhance regional CT
capabilities.

3. (U) In January 2005, Taiwan established a cabinet-level
Counter-Terrorism Office (CTO) to oversee and coordinate an
interagency response to terrorist activities in Taiwan and
in the region. The CTO is comprised of representatives from
ten government agencies including the National Security
Bureau (NSB), the National Police Administration (NPA), the
Department of Health and the Atomic Energy Council. Since
its inauguration, the CTO has conducted two large-scale
training exercises. The first, held in April 2005, tested
responses to a terrorist attack against critical
infrastructure as well as dealing with a toxic spill, while
the most recent exercise in December 2005 focused on
chemical and biological threats. The CTO's primary mission
remains counterterrorism, but there are plans to broaden its
focus, incorporating crisis management and disaster
preparedness, to create a new Ministry of Interior and
Homeland Affairs in a proposed governmental re-organization.

4. (U) In September 2005, the Container Security Initiative
(CSI) began operations in Kaohsiung identifying and
targeting shipping containers that pose a risk for terrorism
and significantly enhancing Taiwan's maritime security.
Inspections have already yielded seizures of counterfeit
currency and illegal drugs, and preliminary discussions are
underway to expand CSI to the northern port of Keelung. The
Taiwan authorities have also expressed a willingness to
accept the U.S. Department of Energy's Megaports program to
help restrict trafficking in radioactive materials.

5. (U) Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations and
therefore cannot ratify international conventions and
protocols related to terrorist financing. The U.S. however,
has consistently urged Taiwan to act as a good international
citizen and implement, to the maximum extent possible, all
UN resolutions relating to terrorist finance issues. In
2005, Taiwan was elected to the Steering Committee of the
Asia Pacific Group on money laundering, giving Taiwan better
access to information on international criminal and
terrorist activities. Taiwan continues to provide rapid and
thorough responses on terrorist finance issues and has
brought to our attention a number of suspect transactions
involving Taiwan entities in 2005. In responses to counter-
terrorism suggestions made by the FATF, Taiwan's Central
Bank of China (CBC) implemented a regulation requiring
remitting banks to report the remitter's name, ID number or
account data, and address in remittance messages. The
Ministry of Justice (MOJ) also has drafted a new, detailed
"Anti-terrorist Action" law modeled after the U.S. Patriot
Act. This bill, however, is still being reviewed by the
Executive Yuan (EY).

6. (U) Point of contact at AIT-Taipei is Acting RSO Byron X.
BACIK, Tel: (886-2) 2162-2349; FAX: (886-2) 2162-2245; E-
mail: Bacikbw@state.gov

PAAL

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