MFA REACTS TO SAN FRANCISCO "TERRORIST" INCIDENT

UNCLAS HANOI 003290 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV; INR/EAP/SEA E.O. 12958: NA TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV VM CTERR SUBJECT: MFA REACTS TO SAN FRANCISCO "TERRORIST" INCIDENT REFS: A) HANO1 3014 B) STATE 217427 CONTAINS SENSITIVE INFORMATION - HANDLE ACCORDINGLY UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 03290 201010Z ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. MFA AMERICAS DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR NGUYEN XUAN PHONG URGED STRONG USG ACTION IN THE WAKE OF WHAT HE TERMED THE "TERRORIST INCIDENT" DIRECTED AGAINST DPM NGUYEN TAN DZUNG DURING HIS VISIT LAST WEEK TO SAN FRANCISCO. IN A DECEMBER 20 MEETING WITH DCM, PHONG STRESSED THAT THIS WOULD SHOW THAT THE USG WILL TAKE ACTION AGAINST "TERRORIST ACTIVITIES" DIRECTED AT OTHER COUNTRIES. PHONG ALSO PROVIDED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON NGUYEN THI NGOC HANH, THE VIETNAMESE WOMAN ARRESTED IN THE INCIDENT. PHONG DESCRIBED DPM DZUNG'S VISIT TO THE U.S. AS "A SOLID SUCCESS" (SEPTEL). END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) PHONG TERMED THE INCIDENT, WHICH HE SAID INVOLVED HANH ATTEMPTING TO SET A HOTEL CONFERENCE ROOM ALIGHT WITH A GASOLINE-SOAKED RAG WITH DZUNG PRESENT, "REGRETTABLE" BUT THAT IT WAS THE ONLY NEGATIVE INCIDENT DURING THE DPM'S VISIT. THE GVN CONSIDERS THIS "A TERRORIST INCIDENT DIRECTED AT THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF VIETNAM," HE ADDED. ¶3. (SBU) PHONG PRESENTED THE DCM WITH A MFA REPORT DESCRIBING HANH'S ATTEMPT AT ARSON DIRECTED AGAINST THE GVN MISSION IN LONDON IN SEPTEMBER 2000 AND AN EGG-THROWING INCIDENT DIRECTED AT A VIETNAMESE MUSICAL PERFORMANCE IN PARIS IN APRIL 2001. HE ALSO PROVIDED A DIPLOMATIC NOTE CONCERNING HANH'S ACTIVITIES IN THE U.S. AND THE GVN'S DESIRE FOR STRONG US ACTION. (NOTE: POST WILL FAX COPIES AND POUCH ORIGINALS TO EAP/BCLTV. END NOTE.) PHONG STATED THAT BRITISH AND FRENCH "INACTION" FOLLOWING THOSE INCIDENTS DISAPPOINTED THE GVN. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 03290 201010Z ¶4. (SBU) PHONG URGED THE DCM TO PASS ALONG THE GVN'S "DEEP CONCERN" OVER THE SAN FRANCISCO INCIDENT TO WASHINGTON. WHILE THE GVN UNDERSTOOD AND RESPECTED THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS TO PROTEST IN ACCORDANCE WITH US LAW, THE INCIDENT IN SAN FRANCISCO WENT "WAY BEYOND" THE LAW. HE SAID THAT TO MAINTAIN CREDIBILITY, THE U.S. MUST PURSUE TERRORIST INCIDENTS DIRECTED AT NON-AMERICAN TARGETS ON ITS SOIL. PHONG ALSO BROUGHT UP THE CASE OF VO VAN DUC AND NGUYEN HUU CHANH (REF A) AND SAID THE GVN HAD NOT YET RECEIVED INFORMATION ON WHAT ACTION THE U.S. WAS PLANNING AGAINST THEM. HE REQUESTED THE EMBASSY TO PASS ON ANY INFORMATION IT MAY HAVE ON THE STATUS OF BOTH CASES. ¶5. (SBU) THE DCM TOLD PHONG THAT HE WOULD CONVEY THE GVN'S CONCERN TO WASHINGTON. HE NOTED THAT HANH WAS ARRESTED IN SAN FRANCISCO AND FACED SERIOUS CHARGES. HE ALSO SAID THIS INCIDENT ILLUSTRATED THE NEED FOR THE U.S. AND VIETNAM TO MAKE GREATER EFFORT TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION ON POTENTIAL TERRORISTS. IN ADDITION, THE DCM PRAISED DS AGENTS AND THE SAN FRANCISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOTING THEY HAD BEEN "PROACTIVE" IN THEIR SECURITY MEASURES AND HAD MANAGED TO APPREHEND HANH BEFORE SHE COULD CAUSE ANY DAMAGE. BURGHARDT UNCLASSIFIED