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

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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