Cablegate: Terrorism Finance Designations Delivered

VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #0674 2322205
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 192205Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0009
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000674

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO TREASURY:SSENICH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ETTC PREL PTER KTFN UNSC PINR KU IZ SY
BA, QA, CVIS, KVPR
SUBJECT: TERRORISM FINANCE DESIGNATIONS DELIVERED

REF: A. STATE 3749
B. STATE 7443
C. STATE 22757
D. STATE 61363
E. STATE 62052
F. STATE 65133
G. STATE 65511
H. STATE 68510
I. STATE 80168

1. (SBU) Econoff and Poloff met with Carlos Cordero,
Department of Disarmament, Terrorism, and Organized Crime, of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Costa Rica on August
7. Econoff demarched the MFA on several terrorism
designations, consisting of both Executive Orders and UN
designations (Reftels A-I).

2. (SBU) Cordero explained that the MFA reviews and then
passes all designations to DIS (the Costa Rican national
intelligence service). For designations that are sanctioned
by the UN, DIS will investigate the designations by engaging
with Interpol. For designations that are sanctioned only by
the USG, DIS accepts the designations but does not
investigate. Cordero explained that an "Executive Order is a
national mechanism; thus, (GOCR) cannot take measures on this
basis." Econoff suggested to Cordero that any US designation
with affiliation to a UN designated organization should be
included in DIS's investigations with Interpol. Cordero said
that he would take the matter into consideration.

3. (SBU) Commenting on the terrorism finance bill first in
the current queue in the National Assembly, Cordero said that
the bill would comply with Egmont Group requirements plus
other international terrorism standards. Currently, the bill
is in the Committee for Narcotrafficking, chaired by
Frederico Tinoco (PLN). It was approved unanimously in the
committee and now awaits plenary debate. The bill targets
three areas of the existing criminal code: financing,
recruiting, and inciting terrorist acts. Most importantly,
the bill will fix a gaping hole in the current legal code by
establishing penalties for acts of terrorism. (The FARC
financing case which developed in March following the
Colombian raid on Raul Reyes's camp in Ecuador, for example,
is not actionable in Costa Rica under current law, since
terrorism financing per se is not a crime) With a finish to
the CAFTA implementation legislation on the near horizon, the
bill needs to move forward as Costa Rica is now in "extension
status" with the Egmont Group.
CIANCHETTE

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