MOROCCO: 2000 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

UNCLAS RABAT 005272

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: 2000 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

REF: STATE 217248


1. PER DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE, THE FOLLOWING IS KEYED TO
REFTEL AND CONSTITUTES POST'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE
ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT.


A. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACTS OF TERRORISM DIRECTED AGAINST
UNITED STATES (U.S.) CITIZENS OR U.S. GOVERNMENT
(USG) FACILITIES IN MOROCCO. THE GOVERNMENT OF
MOROCCO (GOM) CONTINUES TO BE RESPONSIVE TO POST'S
REAL OR PERCEIVED SECURITY CONCERNS AND HAS
COOPERATED WITH U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE
TWIN EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN EAST AFRICA. THE MOST
RECENT ACT OF INTERNATIONAL VIOLENCE PERPETRATED
IN THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO OCCURRED AT A TOURIST
HOTEL IN MARRAKECH IN 1994. SUSPICION REMAINS
THAT IT WAS PLANNED AND EXEUCTED IN PART BY
ALGERIAN EXTREMISTS.


B. THE GOM EXTRADITED NO TERRORISTS IN 2000 AND THE USG
REQUESTED NO RENDITIONS DURING THIS TIMEFRAME.


C. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NOT AN EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN
THE USG AND GOM, POST DOES NOT PERCEIVE THERE WOULD
BE ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO GOM PROSECUTION
AND/OR EXTRADITION OF KNOWN TERRORISTS THAT ARE NOT
MOROCCAN NATIONALS.


D. THE GOM TRADITIONALLY ISSUES PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN
OPPOSITION TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.


E. TO POST'S KNOWLEDGE, THE GOM HAS NOT UNDERTAKEN ANY
MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN 2000, LOCALLY OR
INTERNATIONALLY.


F. THE GOM DOES NOT SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM,
TERRORISTS, OR TERRORIST GROUPS.


G. THE GOM HAS NOT ISSUED ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN
SUPPORT OF THE SEVEN TERRORIST-SUPPORTING NATIONS.
HOWEVER, IRAN, IRAQ, LIBYA, SYRIA AND SUDAN HAVE
DIPLOMATS ACCREDITED TO THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO.


H. THERE HAS BEEN NO GOM CHANGE IN ATTITUDE TOWARDS
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM OR ITS SUPPORTERS IN 2000.


I. THE USG AND GOM ARE FULLY COOPERATIVE ON
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND REGIONAL
COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS.


J. DURING THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS, THE USG HAS NOT
SOUGHT GOM SUPPORT IN THE INVESTIGATION OR
PROSECUTION OF AN ACT OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS OR U.S. INTERESTS.


K. DURING THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS, THE USG HAS NOT
SOUGHT GOM SUPPORT IN THE PREVENTION OF AN ACT OF
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS OR
U.S. INTERESTS.

GABRIEL