Cablegate: Croatia - 2006 Country Report On Terrorism

VZCZCXRO0984
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHVB #1502 3550959
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 210959Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7073
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001502

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

S/CT - RHONDA SHORE AND NCTC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA - 2006 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM

REF: STATE 175925

1. There are no known terrorist groups or organizations
present in Croatia nor would it be a welcoming safe haven.
Croatia continues to develop the professionalism and
capability of both police and military units designated for
terrorist response through programs provided by the United
States and the European Union. During 2006, legislation was
passed restructuring the intelligence service to better
address current and future needs to include the ability to
identify potential terrorist activities or threats. Croatia
publicly supports and complies with all U.N. Security Council
counterterrorism resolutions, including those related to
nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea.

2. Croatia continues to be an active partner in the Global
War on Terror. During 2006, the government increased its
contribution to the International Stabilization and
Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan from about 50 to 147
soldiers, serving in military police, medical support and
training roles. In addition, Croatia maintains a small
civilian and police team deployment to the German-led
Provincial Reconstruction Team in Feyzabad. On December 8,
the Croatian Parliament approved a further increase to 200
troops in 2007 and to 300 troops in 2008 and approved the
assignment of five naval officers to NATO's Operation Active
Endeavor in the Mediterranean Sea.

3. Croatia's long land and sea borders present a monitoring
and enforcement challenge and guide the government's
continued efforts to improve its export control regime and to
prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
During 2006, the government formed an inter-ministerial
commission on export licensing and on international
restrictive measures. The United States assisted the
Croatian government in drafting amendments to its export
control legislation to allow effective prosecution of
criminal acts related to the proliferation of Weapons of Mass
Destruction.

4. In November 2006, Croatian police intercepted and arrested
two men in Zadar, Croatia, who were carrying explosives. The
case was initially investigated as a terrorist plot to target
and detonate the explosives on a ferry in the Adriatic Sea.
Subsequent information points to the more likely scenario of
an organized crime operation. The incident, however,
demonstrates Croatia's ability to detect, track, and respond
to an undetermined threat.

5. The embassy point of contact is Political Officer Tom
Selinger. Address: U.S. Embassy Zagreb, Thomas Jefferson 5,
10010 Zagreb, Croatia; email: selingertb@state.gov;
telephone: (385) 1 661-2260.
BRADTKE

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