Cablegate: Sudan: 1990 Annual Terrorism Report

R 301308Z OCT 90
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7317

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 11358

S/CT FOR BREELAND

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN: 1990 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

REF: A) STATE 355397, B) KHARTOUM 7788, C) KHARTOUM 11253

1. THE 1990 TERRORISM REPORT FOR SUDAN IS AS FOLLOWS.

2. THE ACROPOLE TERRORIST BOMBING CASE WENT THROUGH A
SERIES OF POSTPONEMENTS, WITH THE NEXT HEARING NOW
SCHEDULED FOR JAN. 22, 1991 (REF C). MANY OF THE
POSTPONEMENTS, INCLUDING THE MOST RECENT ONE, INVOLVED
CONSULATIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE VICTIMS'
FAMILIES. THE FAMILIES SUBMITTED STATEMENTS DURING THE
YEAR INDICATING WHETHER THEY WOULD PARDON THE TERRORISTS,
WITH OR WITHOUT COMPENSATION ("DIYYA"), AS WELL AS THE
AMOUNT OF DIYYA DEMANDED. THE COURT ANNOUNCED IN 1989
THAT IF ANY FAMILY REFUSED TO PARDON THE TERRORISTS, THEY
WOULD BE EXECUTED. SOME COMMENTS BY LEGAL AUTHORITIES IN
1990 SUGGESTED THAT LONG-TERM IMPRISONMENT OF THE
TERRORISTS MIGHT BE POSSIBLE, ALTHOUGH THIS WAS NOT
INCLUDED IN THE CHOICES MADE AVAILABLE TO THE FAMILIES.

3. THE GOVERNMENT UNDERTOOK NO MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM
EFFORTS IN 1990.

4. THE PLO CAMP NEAR SUDAN'S RED SEA COAST, OCCUPIED
SINCE THE EVACUATION OF BEIRUT IN 1982, WAS REPORTEDLY
EVACUATED IN 1990 (REF B). NO OTHER TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO HAVE CAMPS IN SUDAN.
SUDAN EXTENDS DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION TO THE PLO, WHICH
MAINTAINS AN EMBASSY IN KHARTOUM. PLO CHIEF YASSER
ARAFAT VISITED SUDAN SEVERAL TIMES IN 1990.

5. THE GOVERNMENT MADE NO PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN 1990 IN
SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST-SUPPORTING GOVERNMENT ON A
TERRORISM ISSUE.

6. ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT A SPONSOR OF TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS, IT HAS A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH IRAQ AND
INCREASING CONNECTIONS WITH IRAN. IN 1990 THE GOVERNMENT
SIGNED AN "INTEGRATION AGREEMENT" WITH LIBYA. AS A
RESULT OF THE AGREEMENT, COL. MUAMMAR QADHAFI VISITED
KHARTOUM IN OCTOBER. THIS AGREEMENT PERMITS MUCH EASIER
ACCESS TO SUDAN BY LIBYANS. SUDANESE AND NORTH KOREAN
OFFICIALS EXCHANGED VISITS DURING THE YEAR. THE OUTBREAK
OF THE PERSIAN GULF CRISIS IN AUGUST PRODUCED MORE
INTENSIVE PAN-ARAB AND PAM ISLAMIC COMMENTARY IN THE
GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED MEDIA, CREATING A MORE RECEPTIVE
CLIMATE FOR ANTI-WESTERN ACTIONS IN SUDAN.

CHEEK

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