Cablegate: Portugal: 2009 Country Reports On Terrorism

VZCZCXRO5074
OO RUEHIK
DE RUEHLI #0633 3580948
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 240948Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8024
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS LISBON 000633

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR S/CT: RHONDA SHORE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS PINS PREL AEMR PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

REF: STATE 109980

1. The text of Embassy Lisbon's 2009 Country Report on
Terrorism follows:

Portugal

Portugal worked proactively with other nations to combat
terrorism and disrupt funding for terrorist groups. Portugal
does not have any indigenous terrorist groups, therefore the
legal system and law enforcement focus is on dissuading
international groups from establishing operations on its soil.

Portuguese and American officials shared counterterrorism
information effectively, including information on threat
assessments and terrorist operative activities. In
cooperation with other European Union partners, the
Portuguese government continued to participate actively in
ongoing EU efforts to remove institutional barriers to
cooperation on counterterrorism.

In September 2008, the Government of Portugal created a new
Secretary General for Internal Security, a move designated to
facilitate communication between the Judicial Police
(FBI-equivalent), Public Security Police (national uniformed
police), and the National Republican Guard (paramilitary
police force). As a result, the distinct law enforcement
agencies were able to share information about terrorism
investigations more effectively.

In December 2008, the Portuguese Foreign Minister sent a
letter to his EU counterparts stressing the need to close the
Guantanamo detention camp and encouraging them to consider
taking Guantanamo detainees as a "clear signal of (European)
willingness to assist the U.S. government to resolve the
issue . . . ." In August 2009, Portugal accepted two
Guantanamo detainees for resettlement.

During 2009, Portugal contributed approximately 145
Portuguese troops that were deployed in Afghanistan in
support of ongoing International Security Assistance Force
and NATO operations, including a C-130 transport aircraft
with a supporting crew of 42 personnel on a three-month
mission to support Afghan elections in August.

As a country participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP),
Portugal continued to comply with requirements in the VWP law
related to information sharing and other law enforcement and
counterterrorism cooperation. This cooperation was further
enhanced by the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11
Commission Act of 2007.

2. Embassy point of contact is Mario Fernandez (unclassified
email: FernandezMA2@state.gov).

For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal,
please see our Intelink site:

http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:port ugal
BALLARD

© Scoop Media