Cablegate: Cuba: 1994 Annual Terrorism Report

R 292138Z NOV 94
FM USINT HAVANA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4926

UNCLAS HAVANA 007901

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE

DEPT FOR S/CT FOR REAP

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER CU
SUBJECT: CUBA: 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

REF: STATE 286744

1. AS REQUESTED, BELOW ARE RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONS
LISTED IN REFTEL PARA 3:

(A) POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM BY THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT
DURING 1994. THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT SUBMITTED
DIPLOMATIC NOTES TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IN FEBRUARY
AND MAY 1994 PROTESTING THE ALLEGED "IMPUNITY" WITH
WHICH ANTI-CUBA TERRORIST GROUPS ARE PERMITTED TO
OPERATE IN U.S. TERRITORY.

(B) POST HAS NO INFORMATION REGARDING ANY EXTRADITION,
OR REQUEST FOR EXTRADITION, TO CUBA OF SUSPECTED
TERRORISTS FOR PROSECUTION BY THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT.

(C) CLOSE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND OTHER
COUNTRIES WHICH SPONSOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
COULD IMPEDE CUBAN GOVERNMENT PROSECUTION AND/OR
EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS.

(D) POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER CUBAN GOVERNMENT
ACTIONS TO CONDEMN OR INVESTIGATE TERRORIST ACTS.
(E) POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM
EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN IN 1994 BY THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT.

(F) CUBAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM HAS DECLINED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
YEARS. THE EVER DEEPENING ECONOMIC CRISIS FACING
CUBA HAS REDUCED THE RESOURCES PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE
TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. AT
THE SAME TIME, THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT TO WIN
BOTH INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SUPPORT AND FOREIGN
INVESTMENT HAS RESULTED IN DIMINISHED SUPPORT FOR
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. CUBA, HOWEVER, CONTINUES
TO MAINTAIN STRONG DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH IRAN, IRAQ,
LIBYA, NORTH KOREA, AND SYRIA. BEYOND THE GROUP OF
BASQUE TERRORISTS WHO SOUGHT REFUGE IN CUBA SEVERAL
YEARS AGO, POST HAS NO NEW INFORMATION REGARDING
TERRORISTS HARBORED IN CUBA.

(G) THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED PRESS IS CAREFUL TO AVOID
ANY EXPLICIT SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM.

(H) POST SEES NO CHANGE FROM 1993 IN THE CUBAN
GOVERNMENT POSITION REGARDING TERRORISM.

SULLIVAN

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