VIETNAM: 2002 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002692 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/CT FOR REAP AND EAP/BCLTV E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL VM CTERR SUBJECT: VIETNAM: 2002 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT REF: SECTSTATE 201772 ¶1. EMBASSY'S RESPONSE TO REFTEL FOLLOWS IN PARAGRAPH 2. THE RESPONSE IS KEYED TO THE PARAGRAPHS IN REFTEL. ¶2. A) THE GVN HAS ACTIVELY SUPPORTED THE GLOBAL COALITION AGAINST TERRORISM AND TAKEN A NUMBER OF MEASURES AGAINST AL- UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02692 01 OF 02 061028Z QAIDA. THE GVN HAS CLEARLY AND FREQUENTLY DENOUNCED TERRORISM DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. THE GVN RATIFIED FOUR ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS RELATED TO COUNTERTERRORISM, BRINGING ITS TOTAL TO EIGHT. THE GVN SUPPORTED THE ADOPTION OF THE US-ASEAN COUNTERTERRORISM DECLARATION. AT THE UN, THE GVN DESCRIBED TERRORISM AS "A GLOBAL SCOURGE," ADDING THAT "ANY COUNTERTERRORISM MEASURE MUST COMPLY WITH THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER, RESPECT THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF STATES." THE GVN HAS CONTINUED TO AGREE TO RECEIVE FROM THE U.S. LISTS OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS, TO REVIEW ITS IMMIGRATION RECORDS, TO ADD THESE NAMES TO ITS WATCHLISTS, AND TO ORDER SEARCHES OF THE RECORDS OF ALL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FOR ASSETS RELATED TO AL-QAIDA AND OTHER TERRORIST ENTITIES. DURING 2002, THE GVN FURTHER UPGRADED SECURITY FROM ALREADY ELEVATED POST- SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 LEVELS AT MANY DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN HANOI AND HO CHI MINH CITY, INCLUDING THOSE OF THE U.S., TO DETER TERRORISM. B) DURING 2002 THERE WERE NO KNOWN ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM OR PROSECUTIONS FOR ACTS OF TERRORISM IN VIETNAM. THERE WERE NO KNOWN JUDICIAL ACTIONS IN VIETNAM DURING 2002 RELATED TO ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. THE GVN CONTINUED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS TO PRESS FOR THE PROSECUTION OF INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED OF COMMITTING "TERRORIST" ACTS IN 2001 AGAINST VIETNAMESE INTERESTS OVERSEAS. IN OCTOBER 2002, A US COURT CONVICTED ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS OF ATTEMPTED ARSON AND ASSAULT ON A FEDERAL OFFICER DURING AN ATTEMPTED ATTACK ON DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN TAN DUNG IN SAN FRANCISCO IN DECEMBER 2001. THE GVN HAS DESCRIBED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 02692 01 OF 02 061028Z THIS ATTEMPTED ATTACK INCIDENT AS "TERRORISM." US AUTHORITIES ARRESTED A US RESIDENT ON TERRORISM-RELATED CHARGES IN OCTOBER 2001 AND HELD HIM PENDING AN EXTRADITION HEARING IN NOVEMBER 2002 TO STAND TRIAL IN THAILAND FOR AN ATTEMPT TO BOMB THE VIETNAMESE EMBASSY IN BANGKOK. C) EXTRADITION: THE GVN DID NOT EXTRADITE ANY SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DURING THE YEAR, NOR WERE ANY REQUESTS FOR SUCH EXTRADITIONS MADE TO OUR KNOWLEDGE. THE GVN HAS CONTINUED TO PRESS FOR THE EXTRADITION TO THAILAND OF TWO INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN THE U.S. THAT THE GVN ASSERTS WERE INVOLVED IN ATTEMPTS TO BOMB GVN INTERESTS OVERSEAS. US AUTHORITIES ARRESTED ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS IN 2001 (SEE PARA B); US EXTRADITION HEARINGS ARE PROCEEDING. D) THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO PROSECUTION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. THERE IS NO EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN THE GVN AND THE USG. HOWEVER, AT USG REQUEST, THE GVN HAS DEPORTED INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED OF CRIMES TO THE U.S. E) THE GVN MADE NUMEROUS PUBLIC STATEMENTS CONDEMNING TERRORISM; SOME EXAMPLES FOLLOW. IN JANUARY, COMMUNIST PARTY GENERAL SECRETARY NONG DUC MANH, DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH A WESTERN JOURNALIST, SAID THAT "WE OPPOSE TERRORISM IN ANY FORM." ON APRIL 28, DURING THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE, DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER NGUYEN PHU BINH STATED THAT "VIETNAM CONDEMNS ALL FORMS OF TERRORISM." ON MAY 10, THE MFA SPOKESPERSON "STRONGLY CONDEMNED" THE MAY 9 BOMBINGS IN DAGESTAN. ON OCTOBER 14, AFTER THE BALI BOMBINGS, THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPOKESPERSON STATED THAT "VIETNAM RESOLUTELY CONDEMNS AND ACTS AGAINST UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 02692 01 OF 02 061028Z TERRORISM IN WHATEVER FORMS. . . . IT IS WORTHY TO NOTE THAT THE BLAST TOOK PLACE AT A TIME WHEN THE WORLD COMMUNITY IS EXERTING CONCERTED EFFORTS TO PREVENT TERRORIST MOVES." SHE ADDED THAT "THE BOMB BLAST IS AN INTOLERABLE CRIME." THE GVN SUPPORTED MISSION-SPONSORED SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL EVENTS. PROVINCIAL-LEVEL GVN AUTHORITIES SEIZED PRODUCTS BEARING USAMA BIN-LADEN'S IMAGE ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION AND ANNOUNCED THAT PRODUCTION OF SUCH ITEMS WAS PUNISHABLE BY LAW. F) THE GVN, REPRESENTED BY PRIME MINISTER PHAN VAN KHAI, SUPPORTED THE ADOPTION OF THE US-ASEAN COUNTERTERRORISM DECLARATION AT THE ASEAN SUMMIT IN BRUNEI DURING JULY. HO CHI MINH CITY POLICE ESTABLISHED A "TACTICAL RESPONSE TEAM" THAT THEY DESCRIBED AS A COUNTERTERRORISM TOOL, ALTHOUGH ITS MORE IMMEDIATE USE WAS PROBABLY AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME GANGS. A SIMILAR TACTICAL UNIT NOW EXISTS IN HANOI, ALTHOUGH THE EMBASSY HAS NOT YET SEEN ANY EVIDENCE OF ACTUAL DEPLOYMENT OR OPERATIONS. G) THE GVN IS NOT KNOWN TO SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, TERRORISTS, OR TERRORIST GROUPS. UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ0845 PAGE 01 HANOI 02692 02 OF 02 061028Z ACTION SCT-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 FBIE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 ASDS-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /004W -------------- 0429C8 061029Z /38 R 061013Z NOV 02 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8037 INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HANOI 002692 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/CT FOR REAP AND EAP/BCLTV H) THE GVN HAS NOT PUBLICLY SUPPORTED A TERRORIST- SUPPORTING COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM-SPECIFIC ISSUE. I) THE GVN TOOK A MORE SERIOUS ATTITUDE TOWARDS COUNTERTERRORISM FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF TERRORIST CELLS IN FELLOW ASEAN MEMBERS SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA EARLY IN THE YEAR. THE GVN HAS BEEN FOLLOWING CLOSELY THE TRIAL OF INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE ATTEMPTED ATTACK ON DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN TAN DUNG IN SAN FRANCISCO IN DECEMBER 2001. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02692 02 OF 02 061028Z THE GVN HAS DEEMED THIS A TERRORIST ACT. J) THE GVN HAS COOPERATED WITH THE USG IN A NUMBER OF COUNTERTERRORISM AREAS. THE STATE BANK OF VIETNAM HAS ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO ALL STATE, PRIVATE, FOREIGN AND JOINT VENTURE BANKS AND BRANCHES TO SEARCH FOR ASSETS RELATED TO NAMED ENTITIES ON LISTS PROVIDED BY THE USG, ALTHOUGH IT LACKS AN EFFECTIVE MECHANISM FOR REPORTING RESULTS OF THESE SEARCHES. THE GVN HAS COOPERATED WITH THE US CUSTOMS SERVICE'S OPERATION GREEN QUEST. THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAS AGREED THAT THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY (MPS) WOULD CHECK IMMIGRATION RECORDS AGAINST LISTS OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS PROVIDED BY THE USG. AT USG REQUEST, MPS HAS PROVIDED A HIGHLY VISIBLE SECURITY PRESENCE AROUND USG FACILITIES. HOWEVER, IN ONE CASE IN SEPTEMBER, IT TOOK SEVERAL DAYS TO PROVIDE A SATISFACTORY SECURITY PRESENCE AT ONE FACILITY. K) PRIOR TO 2001, THE INVESTIGATION AND PREVENTION OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM WAS NOT A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP. HOWEVER, SINCE SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, THE GVN HAS COOPERATED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS WITH THE USG EFFORTS TO INVESTIGATE THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMITTING TERRORIST ACTS AGAINST US CITIZENS AND INTERESTS. THE GVN HAS AGREED TO CONDUCT CHECKS OF IMMIGRATION RECORDS ON LISTS OF NAMES OF TERRORISTS WHO MAY HAVE TRANSITED THROUGH VIETNAM. IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES HAVE ALSO GENERALLY RESPONDED PROMPTLY TO USG REQUESTS FOR CHECKING THE BONAFIDES OF PASSPORTS AND VISAS, ESPECIALLY WHEN TIPPED OFF THAT THE PASSPORT HOLDERS ARE BEHAVING SUSPICIOUSLY. THE GVN HAS CONTRIBUTED INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT TO US EFFORTS TO UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 02692 02 OF 02 061028Z IDENTIFY AND SUSPEND FINANCIAL ASSETS OF TERRORISTS AND TERRORIST GROUPS. EXCEPT THE RECEIPT OF SEVERAL SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES -- EVENTUALLY CONFIRMED TO BE HARMLESS -- MAILED BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND FROM OVERSEAS, THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACTS OF TERRORISM COMMITTED AGAINST US CITIZENS OR INTERESTS IN VIETNAM FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS. THE GVN HAS PROVIDED INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE AT USG FACILITIES AND DEVELOPED MEASURES TO RESPOND TO SPECIFIC THREAT SITUATIONS. THE GVN HAS RESPONDED HELPFULLY AND PROMPTLY TO ANALYZE THE CONTENTS OF SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES. HOWEVER, GVN RESPONSE TIMES TO OTHER POTENTIALLY THREATENING SITUATIONS HAVE VARIED. IN THE BEST CASE, POLICE RESPONDED WITHIN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES. IN ANOTHER CASE INVOLVING A DIFFERENT POTENTIAL THREAT AT A DIFFERENT FACILITY, CLEARLY THE LOCAL POLICE DID NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AT THEIR IMMEDIATE DISPOSAL, NOR WERE THEY FAMILIAR WITH HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS TYPE OF THREAT. CALLING IN THE REQUIRED SPECIALISTS TOOK THREE HOURS, AND COORDINATION AMONG THE VARIOUS GVN OFFICES INVOLVED WAS SLOW. THE SPECIALISTS THEMSELVES WERE PROFESSIONALLY COMPETENT, BUT LACKED ANY PROTECTIVE GEAR/EQUIPMENT. ¶L. SEE PARAGRAPH K. BURGHARDT UNCLASSIFIED