Cablegate: Annual Terrorism Report

R 252129Z OCT 90
FM USINT HAVANA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2302

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 06415

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER CU
SUBJECT: ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

REF: STATE 355397

1. THIS CABLE RESPONDS TO THE QUESTIONS RAISED IN
REFTEL.

2. DESCRIBE ANY HOST GOVERNMENT PROSECUTIONS
INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND/OR SIGNIFICANT
ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM:

THE ONLY OSTENSIBLE PROSECUTION OF TERRORIST ACTS IN
1990 WAS THE JULY 16 TRIAL OF 11 MEMBERS OF A GROUP
KNOWN AS THE YOUTH ASSOCIATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS,
ACCUSED OF CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TERRORIST ACTS,
INCLUDING PLANS TO DYNAMITE THE NATIONAL LIBRARY,
PLANS TO STEAL ARMS BY FORCE FROM A MILITARY UNIT, TO
PLANT A CAR BOMB AND TO OCCUPY A FOREIGN EMBASSY. THE
TRIAL WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT WAS NOT ATTENDED BY
WESTERN OBSERVERS. NO INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO
JUDGE THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN SUPPORT OF THE
CHARGES. ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS THE TERRORISTS
WERE FOUND WITH 900 GRAMS OF TNT, ELECTRIC DETONATORS
AND 7.62 MM SHELLS. THE GROUP WAS FALSELY ACCUSED OF
LINKS WITH THE U.S. INTERESTS SECTION IN HAVANA.

3. DID THE HOST GOVERNMENT EXTRADITE OR REQUEST THE
EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORIST FOR PROSECUTION?

CUBA DID NOT MAKE ANY SUCH REQUEST IN 1990. HOWEVER,
IT HAD REQUESTED EXTRADITION OF ORLANDO BOSCH FROM
VENEZUELA WHILE HE WAS HELD THERE. ALTHOUGH NO
EXTRADITION TREATY WITH THE UNITED STATES EXISTS, THE
OFFICIAL CUBAN PRESS MADE IT CLEAR THAT CUBA WANTED
THE UNITED STATES TO RETURN ORLANDO BOSCH TO CUBA TO
FACE CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE 1976 BOMBING OF A
CUBANA COMMERCIAL AIRPLANE THAT RESULTED IN THE DEATH
OF ALL ON BOARD.

4. DISCUSS HOST GOVERNMENT RESPONSES OTHER THAN
PROSECUTION:

CUBAN PUBLIC STATEMENTS HAVE CONDEMNED THE KILLING OF
CIVILIANS BY GOVERNMENT AND IRREGULAR FORCES OR DEATH
SQUADS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA,
NICARAGUA AND COLOMBIA. THE CONDEMNATION UNIFORMLY
FOLLOWED POLITICAL LINES. THAT IS, OFFICIAL
STATEMENTS CONDEMNED CLAIMED PRE-MEDITATED KILLING OF
CIVILIANS WHICH APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN BY GROUPS OR
INDIVIDUALS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA.
THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA DID NOT CONDEMN TERRORIST ACTS
APPARENTLY COMMITTED BY IRREGULAR FORCES OR
GOVERNMENTS SUPPORTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA. THE
GOVERNMENT OF CUBA DID NOT MAKE ANY EFFORT TO
INVESTIGATE OR ASSIST WITH INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
INVESTIGATIONS.

6. DESCRIBE MAJOR CONTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN
IN 1990 BY THE HOST GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING STEPS TAKEN
IN INTERNATIONAL FORA.

NO MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS WERE UNDERTAKEN.
CUBA MAINTAINS A LARGE POLICE/STATE SECURITY APPARATUS
WHICH EFFECTIVELY MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR DOMESTIC
TERRORISM TO PROSPER. EXTENSIVE SOCIAL CONTROL AND
STATE INTRUSION INTO NEARLY ALL ASPECTS OF PRIVATE
LIFE MAKE IT VERY LIKELY THAT NASCENT TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE DISCOVERED OR NECESSARILY REMAIN
SO SMALL AND INSULAR THAT THEY WILL HAVE LITTLE IMPACT.

7. DESCRIBE ANY SIGNIFICANT HOST GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, INCLUDING POLITICAL AND
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR TERRORISTS; DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT
THROUGH DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION, MISUSE OF THE
DIPLOMATIC POUCH, AND OTHER PRIVILEGES TO SUPPORT
TERRORISM; SANCTUARY EXTENDED TO TERRORISTS OR
TERRORIST GROUPS AND/OR THE PRESENCE OF OFFICE OF SUCH
GROUPS; HOST GOVERNMENT TRAINING OR THE PROVISION OF
TRAINING SITES TO TERRORIST GROUPS; AND POSITIONS
TAKEN ON TERRORISM ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL FORA.

THE GOC POLITICALLY SUPPORTS OR SUPPORTED FARABUNDO
MARTI NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT, THE GUATEMALAN
NATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY UNITY, THE POLITICAL ARM OF THE
COLOMBIAN REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES, THE FORMER 19TH
OF APRIL MOVEMENT, THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, THE
PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ORGANIZATION. CUBAN MAINTAINS
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH "THE STATE OF PALESTINE",
AND RECOGNIZES THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS AS A
NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT. IT ALSO RECOGNIZED THE
SOUTHWEST AFRICAN PEOPLES ORGANIZATION (SWAPO) AS A
NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT BEFORE NAMIBIAN
INDEPENDENCE. CUBA SUPPLIED MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO
SWAPO, THE FMLN, THE M-19, AND PROBABLY THE FARC.
CUBA IS WIDELY THOUGHT TO CONTINUE ARMS AND OTHER
MILITARY SUPPORT TO THE FMLN.

8. HAS THE HOST GOVERNMENT MADE ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS
IN SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST SULPORTING COUNTRY ON A
TERRORISM ISSUE?

CUBA OPENLY SUPPORTS THE GOVERNMENTS OF IRAN, IRAQ,
LIBYA, NORTH KOREA, AND SYRIA. IT DOES NOT OPENLY
SUPPORT TERRORISM, WHICH IT DISTINGUISHES, ALONG
POLITICAL LINES, FROM NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENTS.

9. DESCRIBE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SINCE 1989,
POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, IN THE HOST GOVERNMENT'S
ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM, INTERNATIONAL OR DOMESTIC.
WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CHANGE?

CUBA CONTINUED TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM SOUTHERN
AFRICA ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE. TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS
OR NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENTS SUPPORTED POLITICALLY
AND PERHAPS MILITARILY BY CUBA HAVE BEEN LESS ACTIVE
IN 1990 THAN IN 1989, EXCEPT THE FMLN IN EL SALVADOR,
AND PERHAPS THE GUATEMALAN NATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY
UNITY.

FLANIGAN

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